Scars
by BellaRose55
Summary: His words replayed in his head: "I'm going to hit you where it hurts." Takes place during Season 1, Episode 20 Metropolis. Vico's revenge goes further than setting up Callie and getting Brandon arrested.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Brandon, it wasn't true. What I said about Wyatt. It wasn't true." Callie shook her head frantically as she watched the officer push Brandon into the back seat of the police car. She locked eyes with his before they shut the car door.

Callie spun on her heels as a hand rested on her shoulder. Her eyebrows rose when she found Vico before her. She gritted her teeth furiously as she spoke to him. "You've caused enough trouble tonight. What the hell do you want?"

"I know. I'm sorry." He smiled apologetically. "I found Mariana crying down by the water. She asked me to get you, something about a fight with Zach."

Callie didn't hesitate. She ran down the rest of the steps and to the pathway that led to the beach. "Mariana? Mariana?"

"Looking for someone?"

Callie froze at the familiar, deep voice that assaulted her ears. She turned around slowly, her heart racing in her chest when her eyes met Liam. She spun back around, but he latched onto her wrist, gripping it tightly. She gritted her teeth. "Let go of me."

"Come on, I just want to have a little fun." Liam smirked, revealing dimples on either side of his mouth.

"Let go of me." Callie repeated, trying to sound as strong as she could despite the fact that her heart was pounding in her chest. Her eyes scanned the beach for any sign of help, but nobody was around. She reached into her bag for her cellphone, but he grabbed the purse and pitched it into the water. She swallowed down the fear that was pumping through her veins as she watched her purse disappear into the breaking waves.

"I've missed you, Cal."

"Can't say the same about you." Callie snarled. She attempted to yank her wrist away, but Liam's grip tightened. "You're hurting me."

"Let's take this someplace where we won't be interrupted."

Callie tugged her arm back and made a dash for the building. Liam twisted her wrist abruptly. She inhaled sharply at the sound of the crack, followed by a shooting pain. Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them back, refusing to show Liam her pain.

He pulled her against him; her back against his chest and his arm around her neck. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, making her nauseous with disgust. "I can always find that whiny, faggot brother of yours and teach him a lesson."

Callie's heart stopped at the mention of her brother. She struggled against Liam furiously. "Don't you dare talk about him that way."

"I'm the one in control here." He growled in her ear, tightening his hold on her neck. Liam dragged her towards the woods, squeezing her injured wrist any time she tried to escape his deathly grip. Callie felt a spark of hope when she saw a figure in the woods. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but as they approached the figure she saw it was Vico. Realization hit her; they planned this. Vico knew Mariana wasn't outside crying. He sent Callie out to Liam.

"Wh-what are you doing? What's going on?"

"I met Liam at Wyatt's party and we became good friends. He's just helping me with my revenge on your foster brother, or should I call him your boyfriend?" Vico mocked as he circled around Callie.

"Revenge? On Brandon? Setting me up and getting him arrested wasn't enough?" Callie asked bitterly.

"You want to know the best way to hurt him?" Vico asked as he loomed above Callie. "To hurt you."

Callie gasped as Vico backhanded her across the face; the sound echoed through the dark woods. Liam shoved her to ground and Vico collided his foot with her abdomen. She winced before pressing her hands in the dirt in attempt to stand. This time Liam's foot came down on her ribs, producing a sickening crack. Callie let out a whimper. "Stop."

"You thought you could replace me?" Liam growled. He pushed Callie onto her back and straddled her. His hand slipped beneath her dress.

Callie tensed and thrashed beneath him. "St-stop! Get off!"

Liam tore at Callie's dress, ripping the collar. Callie pushed at Liam's chest with her uninjured wrist, but he didn't budge. He was easily twice her size. She reached up to claw at his face, but he made quick work of pinning her arms above her head. He slid his other hand beneath her dress again and slipped off her black, lacy underwear. He tossed them to Vico who stood behind them just watching. "Here's a souvenir to show Brandon."

Callie felt hot tears trickle down her cheeks. She couldn't hold them back any longer. How was this happening again? She swore to herself that she would never let this happen again. "Please stop."

"Don't act like you're not enjoying this." Liam tore her dress further, pulling it off her trembling body. "Just relax."

Callie lashed out, kicking her legs. "Help! Somebody hel..."

Liam punched her jaw. "Don't scream you stupid whore."

Callie let out a choked sob when she felt Liam's fingers violating her. "St-stop! Get off me!"

"You want her first?" Liam asked, turning his head towards Vico.

Stef walked into the house with a sigh, Brandon trailing behind her. Lena sprung from her spot on the couch with wide, frantic eyes. "I've been trying to call you."

Stef reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone; six missed calls and three text messages from Lena. "It's on silent, I haven't checked it. Is everything okay?"

"Have you heard from Callie?" Lena asked worriedly.

Stef burrowed her eyebrows. "No. She's not home?"

"No. I had to stay longer so Timothy drove the kids home. I thought Callie was with them, but the kids thought she was with me or Wyatt. I've tried calling her and Wyatt and neither have answered." Lena explained. "I think she would have told one of us or even the kids if she was going somewhere with Wyatt and I saw him not long before I left and he was alone."

Brandon felt uneasiness swimming in the pit of his stomach. He knew Callie would have notified someone about her whereabouts.

"You don't think she ran away again, right?" Stef asked, but somehow she already knew that answer.

Lena shook her head. "All of her things are in her room. I don't think she would do that again anyway."

Stef quickly typed her password into her phone. "I'm tracking her phone."

Lena watched as her wife's face contorted into confusion. "What?"

"It's not registering. Either she turned off the GPS or the phone is broken." Stef felt panic rise in her chest. Something wasn't right; she could feel it. "I'm going to call Mike."

Lena followed her wife into the kitchen. Brandon ran a hand over his hair and trailed outside to the front porch. He sat down on the stairs, burying his face in his hands. He couldn't help but worry about Callie. He knew something was wrong. He pulled out his phone and called her with the hope that she did just turn off the GPS. "C'mon Callie, pick up."

Brandon lifted his head when he saw a figure collapse on the sidewalk. It was dark, but he knew those dark curls belonged to Callie. He jumped up off the porch, sprinting towards the sidewalk. A gasp escaped his lips when his eyes fell on the brunette. Her hair was no longer in a bun. Her dress was torn and bloody. Bruises and cuts littered her body. Her right eye was black and swollen along with her jaw. Blood trickled down her legs. Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were wide with terror.

"Oh god, Callie. What happened?" He whispered, squatting down to her level. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but pulled his hand back when she flinched. "We need to get you to a hospital."

"N-no." She choked out. Her body was trembling uncontrollably as tears dripped down her face. She attempted to get up, but fell back onto the pavement. She yelped, feeling the pain increase from the impact.

"Shh, it's okay." Brandon spoke softly. "I'm going to pick you up and take you inside, okay?"

Callie hesitated before nodding. She tensed at Brandon's touch, but reminded herself that he would never hurt her.

Brandon's heart broke at the sound of her whimper when he scooped her in his arms. He cringed when he noticed the trail of bite marks starting at her neck and disappearing into her torn dress. He was hoping she didn't go through what it looked like. He took her inside, calling out to his moms who he heard talking in the kitchen. "Moms!"

Lena and Stef quickly made their way into the living room, their eyes growing wide at the sight before them. Stef peeled her eyes off the broken girl in Brandon's arms to look at her son. Anxiety churned in the pit of her stomach. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I don't know. I was sitting outside and all of sudden I saw her fall on the sidewalk."

"Callie, love, what happened?" Stef asked in a soothing voice as she quietly approached the girl in her son's arms. Callie let out a pained moan, but didn't respond. "We need to get her to a hospital now."

"N-no pl…" She began but broke into a violent cough.

Stef and Brandon both exchanged worried glances when they saw the blood dribbling down Callie's chin. Stef turned to Lena. "Call 911."

Lena nodded and darted into the kitchen to grab the phone. The next six minutes and twenty two seconds felt like a lifetime. Sirens blared outside the Adams Foster's home. Brandon met the paramedics at the door, slipping Callie onto the stretcher. She was struggling to keep her eyes open now, drifting in and out of a delirious haze. "Callie, stay awake."

Callie's husky voice came out as nothing more than a whisper. "Brandon."

"Shh, keep your eyes open." He encouraged soothingly.

"I still..." She began but her voice trailed off as she succumbed to the darkness.

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! I've written many fanfics over the years, but this is my first Fosters story- it has been a work in progress for almost a year now. There is a lot to come in this story so I hope you stick around! Review!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Three hours, thirty six minutes, and thirteen seconds- that's how long the Adams Foster family was waiting in the emergency room for news on Callie. Jesus and Mariana sat in the corner of the room. Jude sat with Lena, crying in her arms. Stef stood against the wall next to Mike. Brandon paced back and forth, anxious for an update on Callie.

A woman in her mid-thirties, who wore a pair of blue scrubs, entered the waiting room. Stef practically stumbled towards her and Lena gently slid Jude out of her arms to stand up. "Are you family of Callie Jacobs?"

"We're her foster mothers." Lena nodded. "Is she okay?"

"I'm Dr. Walker, the attending on Callie's case. Callie is in stable condition. She suffered from some serious injuries though. It's a good thing you got her here when you did. If you had waited another ten minutes she might not have made it. She fractured four ribs, which led to pneumothorax-a collapsed lung. One of the fractured ribs punctured the lung. That's what caused the coughing up blood. She also suffered from internal bleeding, which required surgery. She had severe vaginal lacerations that led to a hemorrhage, which also required surgery and a blood transfusion. She went into shock, most likely due to blood loss."

Stef felt like the room was spinning. "Vaginal laceration?"

"I'm very sorry, but Callie was sexually assaulted. We performed a rape kit and found two different DNAs. She also has some old vaginal scarring, which leads me to believe this happened before." Dr. Walker frowned.

Lena nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. This was all too much. "She was two years ago in a previous foster home."

"Callie also has a bruised cervix, a minor concussion, a fractured wrist, a severe ankle sprain, a hairline fracture on her cheekbone, and her shoulder dislocated. She has an abrasion on her forehead and arm which required stitches and she has many contusions. She's very weak and sore right now and experiencing a lot of pain." Dr. Walker pursed her lips as her eyes flicked back and forth between Stef and Lena. "This is just an overview of Callie's injuries. We can talk more in depth later, but I can tell you're anxious to see her."

"Yes, we'd like to see her." Stef whispered with a nod. Her heart was breaking with every word that came out of the doctor's mouth. Callie didn't even want to go to this winter ball, but Stef and Lena had convinced her to go. Maybe if she had stayed home she wouldn't be sitting in a hospital bed right now.

"I just want to warn you that she is traumatized."

Stef felt anger rise within her at whoever hurt Callie. She turned to Mike. "Call the station and tell them what happened. Whoever these bastards are, they're not getting away with this."

Mike nodded and pulled out his cell phone, starting for the exit.

Lena turned towards the children, who must have heard the doctor because all of them looked sick. "We're going to go see Callie first and if she's up to seeing you guys, we'll come get you."

"I'll show you to her room." Dr. Walker said before she spun on her sneakers.

"Do you think it could have been Liam?" Lena's voice came out as nothing more than a whisper and she glanced at her wife while they followed the doctor down the hall.

"I don't know." Stef sighed, trying to hold back her tears.

Dr. Walker paused as she reached a closed door at the end of the hall. She turned the knob and stepped aside with a smile. "I'll give you some time alone. Someone will be in to check in."

"Thank you." Lena whispered before she stepped into the room with Stef right behind her. Words escaped both women when their eyes fell on Callie; her eyes were glazed over as she stared ahead at the wall.

Stef approached the girl cautiously to avoid scaring her. "Hey Callie."

Callie glanced at Stef and Lena before taking interest in her hands, which rested on her lap. One wrist was wrapped in a cast, but the other wrist was painted in a deep purple and red bruise that resembled fingers.

"Callie, who did this to you?" Lena asked, concern laced in her voice, but Callie didn't respond.

"Please say something, love." Stef pleaded desperately. She gently placed a hand on Callie's arm, but pulled it away quickly when Callie flinched. "I'm sorry, baby."

Callie shook her head frantically. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm fine."

Stef and Lena exchanged worried glances. Stef frowned. "First of all, there is nothing you need to be sorry about. Second of all, you are most certainly not fine. Callie, you went through a lot tonight and what happened was horrible. It's okay to fall apart. It's okay to not be fine."

Callie swallowed thickly. She felt tears bubbling in her eyes and she struggled to keep them at bay.

"Callie, please tell us who did this." Lena asked. "Was it Liam?"

The look of horror in Callie's eyes was all the confirmation Lena and Stef needed. Callie chest heaved up and down as she began to gasp for air. Her heart was racing as if it were training for a marathon. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She couldn't breathe.

"Hey, Callie, look at me. Take deep breaths. You're safe, you're okay." Stef spoke in a soothing voice.

Alarms screamed from the machine that read Callie's blood pressure and heartrate as the numbers increased rapidly. Stef and Lena looked around frantically for help. A nurse darted into the room and over to Callie's bedside. "Callie, breathe. In and out. You're okay. That's it, keep breathing."

Callie's breathing slowly evened out. The beeping on the machines stopped. Lena let out a breath that she had been holding in. "Is she okay?"

"She had a panic attack. This probably won't be the last. They're very common among patients who have been through trauma." The young blonde explained. "If they continue, you can consider an anti-anxiety medication."

Lena felt guilt rise within her. She caused the panic attack by mentioning Liam's name. "Thank you."

"I wanted to discuss whether or not you want to take emergency contraception." The nurse said.

Callie felt her stomach churn. The possibility of pregnancy did not even cross her mind. "Yes…I-I do."

The nurse nodded. "Okay, someone will be in shortly to give it to you."

Callie waited for the door to close before she looked at Stef and Lena. "If this changes anything about the adoption, I get it, but please, please still adopt Jude. He…he wasn't involved in any of this and…"

"Callie." Lena interjected. "This doesn't change anything about the adoption."

"Mama's right. We love you, sweets, and this doesn't change anything about that. I'm not really sure what you went through tonight, but I know it was bad and now you have to let us help you. That's what we're here for. Me, Mama, Brandon, Jesus, Mariana, and Jude." Stef offered Callie a small smile.

Callie felt another batch of tears form in her eyes. "How much do you know?"

"Just what the doctor knows. That you were beat up badly and…violated." Lena said. She couldn't bring herself to say the word and she knew Callie didn't want to hear it either.

Callie bit down on her lower lip in attempt to stop the tears. "Does Jude know?"

Stef nodded. "Yeah, I think he does. Everyone overheard the doctor talking to me and Mama."

Callie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

"Hey, Callie, look at me." Stef said. Even after everything Callie had been through, she was still putting others first. "Jude is upset, we all are, but that's just because we love you and hate to see you in pain. But again, we are all here to help you. I know you love Jude, but you need to worry about yourself right now. He'll be fine because he has us too. He just wants to see his sister get better."

"But that's not going to happen if you keep everything bottled in. It's okay to cry, Callie." Lena smiled sadly.

Callie's lower lip trembled before tears erupted from her eyes. Sobs wracked her batter body, escaping her cracked lips. Stef's heart broke for the millionth time that night. She had seen Callie suffer from countless traumas and rarely saw her shed a tear. She had never seen her sob in agony the way she was right now. She gently wrapped her arms around Callie. Callie flinched, but eventually welcomed the embrace.

Stef rubbed soothing circles on Callie's shoulder. "It's going to be okay. We're going to get you through this."

Brandon continued to pace in the waiting room with a million thoughts running through his mind; all which revolved around Callie. He needed to see her. Whoever hurt her had practically signed their death certificates. Brandon would make sure that they would pay for this.

Everyone turned their heads at the sound of approaching footsteps. Brandon burrowed his eyebrows as he saw Vico entering the waiting room. "What do you want, Vico?"

"How's Callie?" He smirked.

"What do you know about this?" Brandon asked furiously. He was beginning to think Vico was somehow involved in this. His words replayed in his head. _I'm going to hit you where it hurts_.

"Callie left me a little gift." Vico slipped his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of lacy black underwear. "She was a great fuck."

Brandon felt a surge of fury explode within him. He pounced on Vico without any hesitation. His fist collided into his flesh over and over, punching him wherever he could. He heard his dad and Mariana shouting his name and the woman at the front desk calling for security, but he wouldn't stop, he couldn't stop. Vico had hurt Callie and that was the only thing Brandon could think about right now.

Vico finally gathered himself and shoved Brandon away from his body. He tightened his jaw as he swung his fist to Brandon's jaw. The shock of the last few seconds dissipated for Jesus and anger took over; anger that Vico had hurt Callie and anger that Vico punched Brandon. He jumped into the brawl and punched Vico in the nose, triggering a thin stream of blood to trickle down his face.

Mike grabbed Brandon from behind and pulled him back. "Brandon, Jesus, enough!"

Three security guards darted towards the scene. "What is the problem here?"

"He raped her! He did it!" Brandon shouted furiously. His face was flushed and his nostrils flared.

"She was asking for it." Vico spat, narrowing his eyes at Brandon.

Brandon struggled against his father, but Mike held him in a strong grip. "Brandon, hitting him is not going to change anything. Go sit down or take a walk and calm down. Vico, I'm taking you down to the station. Those underwear will go for testing and even if you didn't hurt her, you are in trouble for tampering with evidence."

Vico spun toward the exit, but the security grabbed him before he had the chance to go anywhere.

"Tell your mom I'm at the station. I will try to come back as soon as I can." Mike said before leaving with the security guard escorting Vico.

"This is all your fault!" Jude shouted abruptly as he pointed his finger at Brandon. "Vico hurt Callie to get back at you for the fake IDs. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't sell them!"

"Jude…" Mariana interjected. Her cheeks were dampened with tears.

"No, it's his fault!" Jude cried as he jumped to his feet. He glared at Brandon before storming away down the hall.

Brandon's eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "No, he's right. It is my fault."

"No it's not." Mariana sighed before she took off in search of her foster brother.

Brandon collapsed onto one of the chairs, burying his face in his hands. Jesus took a seat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jude's just angry and upset. We all are. But it's not your fault. It's Vico's and whoever else hurt Callie. When Mom got shot, you blamed me and Mariana because you were upset and the easiest thing to do was blame someone. That's what Jude is doing."

Brandon let out a small laugh. "When did you become so insightful?

"Too many women in the house." Jesus chuckled.

A moment of silence fell between the two brothers. Brandon shook his head. "I didn't think Vico would do something like this."

"None of us did. If we did, we would have gone to extremes to make sure he didn't go near Callie." Jesus said. He studied Brandon for a moment. "You still love her, don't you?"

Brandon sighed, nodding his head. "I do. I told her at the winter ball, but it doesn't matter because we can't be together. She's going to get adopted."

Both boys swung their heads towards the sound of approaching footsteps. Stef walked into the waiting room, her eyes scanning the room. "Where is everyone? Is that a bruise on your face, Brandon?"

"Vico showed up and he had…evidence that suggested he hurt Callie so I got into a fight with him. Dad took him down to the station for questioning, Jude got angry and took off, and Mariana went to go find him." Brandon explained, watching as his mother tried to process his words.

"Vico?" Stef's eyes grew wide with horror. Was Vico tied into all of this because of the fake IDs? "Are Vico and Liam friends?"

"Liam?" Brandon's voice raised an octave. "He was involved in this? He was the other guy that…that hurt Callie?"

"She didn't say it, but it was pretty obvious by her reaction to his name." Stef said with a frown. She paused for a moment before her eyes shifted between her sons. "Callie said she would like to see you guys. She's in room sixteen, why don't you head over there and I'm going to look for Jude and Mariana."

Jesus and Brandon stood and walked down the hall to Callie's room. Brandon froze when he opened the door and saw Callie. Her right eye was a multitude of colors; hues of purple, black, and blue. The left side of her jaw was tainted with a blend of red and purple in the shape of a fist. A red gash was etched on her forehead. Her bottom lip was split and caked with dried blood. The faint remains of fingerprints were imprinted around her neck. A path of bite marks began at her neck and vanished into the hospital gown that she wore. Her arms were littered with bruises and scrapes. Even still she was beautiful.

"Hey Callie." Jesus said softly, despite the anger coursing through his veins at Vico and Liam.

"Hey." She whispered, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"Where's everyone else?" Lena asked her sons.

"Uh Jude ran off so Mariana went after him and now Mom is looking for them." Brandon explained briefly; he didn't want to rehash the details of what had just occurred minutes ago.

"Let me go help Stef. Stay with Callie." Lena said before departing from the room.

"Jude ran off? Is he upset?" Callie asked with concern. Her eyes were red and puffy; it was obvious she had been crying.

Brandon nodded. "He's fine. He was angry at me."

"Why?"

"Uh…" Brandon began hesitantly. "Vico showed up."

Callie's face drained of color and she flinched at the mention of the name. Her throat felt like it was closing. "Jude…he ran off and V-Vico's here. And Mariana is alone."

Brandon moved closer to Callie's bed. "Hey, Jude is okay. So is Mariana. My dad took Vico down to the station to be questioned."

Callie let out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. "They're safe?"

"Yes." Brandon nodded. "Vico and Liam did this? Was it to get revenge on me?"

Callie began to tremble as tears blurred her vision. "Please don't blame yourself, Brandon. It was not your fault. I shouldn't have gone outside. I was so stupid to listen to him. To think that he was telling me the truth after he had just set me up. I'm so stupid."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment. She was blaming herself for this. "Callie, you are not stupid. This isn't your fault."

"How…how did you know it was them? Why was he here? What did he do? Did he give you that bruise on your face?" Callie rambled nervously, blinking back her tears.

Brandon glanced at Jesus. "It doesn't matter…"

"Brandon." Callie whispered angrily. "What did he do?"

"He had…he had your underwear and I beat him up, but he got in a punch."

Callie swallowed thickly, casting her eyes to the wall as tears began to trickle down her bruised face.

Jesus and Brandon glanced at one another, worried expressions written across their features. Brandon took another step forward so he was against her bed. He reached his hand out slowly and gently placed it over hers. She tensed for a moment, but relaxed when she saw that it was Brandon. "We're going to get you through this. I'll be with you every step of the way."

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed chapter 2. There still much more to come! Review!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _Callie peeled her eyes off her textbook at the sound of a knock on her door. She lifted her head to find Liam leaning against the doorframe. She smiled at him. "Hey, what's up?"_

" _Mom and Dad took Jude to a movie." Liam said as he strolled into the room and sat on the bed beside Callie. "It's just us home."_

 _Callie closed her textbook and slid it onto the nightstand. Liam pulled her arm and brought her into a kiss. His hands slid up her back as he began to kiss her neck. Callie pulled away, but Liam held her back in place. "C'mon, what do you say we have a little fun? Take this to the next level?"_

 _Callie shook her head. "No, I'm not ready."_

" _You'll like it. I promise." Liam said before returning to sucking the skin on her neck. His hand slid to her chest._

 _Callie pushed at him. "Liam, stop. I'm not ready."_

 _Liam pushed her onto her back, pinning her arms above her head. His hand wandered towards the button on her jeans. She thrashed beneath him. "Stop it! Liam, stop!"_

" _C'mon you know you want it."_

 _Suddenly it was now Vico who was on top of her, one hand touching her, while the other worked on getting his pants off._

"No, please don't do this. Stop! Stop it! Get off!"

Stef's eyes shot open at the sound of Callie's desperate cries. She jumped off the chair and moved closer to the thrashing girl. "Callie, wake up, love. It's just a dream, baby."

"No! Get off me!" Callie shouted. Her breaths were short and rapid. Her chest heaved up and down.

Lena hopped out of her chair and glanced back and forth between Stef and Callie. "Another nightmare?"

Stef nodded. She gently shook Callie, causing the girl to flinch. "Callie, it's me, Stef. Please wake up, baby."

Callie's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly. A yelp escaped her lips as her ribs protested the sudden movement.

"Easy, easy. You're okay. Take deep breaths." Lena said, gently stroking her back. "You were having a bad dream."

Callie's eyes were wide with terror and despair. "I'm sorry. I woke you up all night and…"

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't apologize. We don't care that you woke us up." Stef said, placing her hand on Callie's. "Please stop worrying about everyone else."

"When can I go home?" Callie asked meekly.

"Sweets, your doctor wants to monitor you for a few days, possibly a week." Stef said, gently stroking the brunette's chestnut colored curls.

"But I'm fine."

"Callie, you are most certainly not fine." Stef disagreed. "You almost _died._ You went into shock twice, your lung collapsed, and you nearly bled out to death. So no you are not fine and you need to stay here until the doctor says you can go home."

Lena shot Stef a warning glance. She knew her wife was just worried about Callie, but she didn't need to be so harsh around the fragile girl. "Callie, what Mom means is that you were really hurt. You still are and not just physically, but emotionally too. I think we need to ban the word fine from your vocabulary."

"We were supposed to get adopted on Monday." Callie whispered. She felt like she was failing Jude once again. He was counting down the hours till their adoption day and now it had to be pushed back because of her.

"You will still get adopted. We'll just push the date back a little bit."

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. A young blonde in scrubs entered with Mike behind her. "Hi, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

She felt terrible. She was hurting physically and emotionally; possibly the worst she's ever felt. She had been hit and beat countless times during her time in foster care, but she wasn't sure any of those compared to this. She refused to admit just how awful she was feeling though. "I've been better."

"I'll see if we can get you some more medication for the pain." She said before leaving the room.

"Hey Callie, I'm sorry about what happened." Mike spoke up as he took a few steps closer to the bed.

Callie tensed as he approached her. She mentally scolded herself for being frightened by his presence. It was just Mike; he would never hurt her. "It's not your fault."

Stef peeled her eyes off Callie to look at her ex-husband. She could tell something was bothering him. "What's up, Mike?"

"I was able to hold them off last night, but the guys really need her statement."

Callie shook her head frantically. "No. No, I can't tell them. I won't."

The adults in the room all glanced at one another. Lena rested her hand on Callie's shoulder. "We can't press charges unless you tell the police what happened."

"I don't want to press charges." Callie mumbled, taking interest in her fingers.

"They arrested Vico this morning. His DNA was found all over the crime scene, your DNA was found on the pair of underwear he had, and he matched the DNA…from your kit." Mike said. "If you don't give a statement, they'll have no choice but to let him go. I was there when they were questioning him and when they arrested him. He was angry and promising some great revenge."

"Mike." Stef scolded. She knew he was trying to get Callie to talk, but he didn't need to scare her any more than she already was. "What he's trying to say is that you'll be safe if you tell the police what happened."

"Just like I was when I told about…L-Liam." Callie's voice was drenched with sarcasm. "Just like every other time I told Bill or the police or a social worker that our foster parents were hurting me and Jude."

Stef wanted to take the hurt and pain away from the young girl. She had endured too much in her sixteen years and she had every reason not to have faith in the police. "Callie, I know you've been mistreated in the past and nobody has helped you, but I promise you that you will be safe once you give a statement. I am involved this time and I am going to make sure that Liam and Vico rot in prison if it's the last thing I do."

Callie searched Stef's eyes, but found nothing but honest determination and love. She had no reason not to trust Stef. She had done so much for her and Jude and had yet to betray their trust. "Okay."

Stef let out a sigh of relief.

"But I don't want anyone around when I talk to them." Callie said. She didn't want anyone to know what had happened. She couldn't let them know the details.

"Are you sure? Some of the questions they might ask can be hard and it might be easier to have support." Stef had witnessed rape victims being questioned and she had questioned them herself. She knew how hard it was on them.

"I don't want anyone around."

Stef opened her mouth, but Lena placed a hand on her arm. She knew her wife was about to insist that she stay in the room while Callie was questioned. Lena nodded her head at Callie. "If that's what you want, that's fine. If you change your mind you just tell the officer and we'll be in in a second."

Callie nodded her head. She wanted to crawl under a rock right now and hide from the world, but she knew she couldn't do that. She needed to keep her family safe and locking up Vico and Liam would do so.

"Okay, I'll get Officer Jones. She's right outside the room. She's going to ask you some questions." Mike said, opening the door and returning seconds later with a brunette whose hair was pulled back tightly.

Stef and Lena both pressed a kiss to Callie's forehead and reminded her that they were right outside the room. Mike followed them outside the room, allowing Callie the privacy that she requested.

Stef closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. She leaned against the wall and inhaled deeply. "I don't know how much more this girl can take."

Mike frowned. "How is she holding up?"

"She's trying to act strong, but we can tell she is hurting a lot." Lena replied sadly. "Last night was rough. She got sick from the emergency contraception and they couldn't give it to her again because she was becoming too dehydrated and then she finally fell asleep and woke up from nightmares every twenty minutes."

"This girl has gone through more in her sixteen years than anyone should have to go through in their life." Stef shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. "She's such an amazing girl and she can't get a break."

Mike ran a hand through his hair. "We'll make sure she gets her justice this time. We'll make sure they pay for doing this to her."

Stef slipped inside Callie's room and smiled at the brunette lying in the bed. Callie had been distant all afternoon since her interview with the police officer. Stef could only imagine how difficult rehashing the details of the attack must have been for the teenager. "Hey Callie, I picked everyone up from home. Jude and Mariana want to see you since they didn't get the chance last night. Do you feel up to some visitors?"

"Sure." Callie croaked. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, but she couldn't say no to them, especially Jude. Besides, Brandon and Jesus had already seen her like this and she couldn't hide from them forever. She watched nervously as Stef exited the room.

Lena reached over from her spot on the chair beside the bed and gently patted Callie's leg. She smiled softly. She was hopeful that Jude's visit would bring Callie some happiness. "Jude was very upset that he didn't see you last night so he'll be very happy to see you now."

The door opened again and Stef stepped back inside the room with the twins, Brandon, and Jude behind her. Jude pushed passed his siblings to run to Callie's bedside. The large smile that stretched his lips suddenly fell as his eyes settled on Callie. He had seen her bruised countless times, but never like this. The wires and monitors connected to her only embellished her state.

"Hey buddy." Callie forced a small smile at her brother. She was suddenly feeling self-conscious by her brother's reaction.

"Y-you're hurt really badly." Jude's eyes were wide as they examined Callie's bruises, scratches, and casts.

"No, no. I'm fine. I promise." Callie nodded with a forced grin.

Stef grimaced slightly. Callie's walls had gone right back up and she knew it was because the young brunette felt she needed to be strong around her siblings. She looked at Mariana, who stood nervously examining Callie, and pointed to the large shopping bag in the teenager's hand. "Why don't you tell her what you brought?"

Mariana held up the bag to show Callie. "We brought a bunch of board games if you feel up to playing?"

Callie smiled slightly. A spark of happiness ignited within her. She was extremely grateful to have the Fosters surrounding her, especially during a time like this. "I would love too."

Mariana smiled widely as she began to pull out the games to show Callie. Everyone gathered around Callie's bedside. Nothing was okay, but for the moment it seemed as though it was.

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed, there is much more to come! I love hearing from you guys; feel free to give any suggestions or ideas. I'm always open to ideas and I try to fit them in if I can- especially if it's a scene between certain people or an appearance of a certain character. Review!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Callie limped into the house with the support of Stef and Lena. She flinched at the sound of unsynchronized welcome homes and lifted her head to find her family waiting in the living room, all wearing matching smiles. She winced when Jude collided with her, throwing his arms around her waist. She swallowed back the pain and returned the hug.

"I'm so happy you're home, Callie." Jude spoke into her shoulder.

Callie forced a smile and gently patted the back of his head. "Me too."

"Let's give her some space, buddy." Stef said, patting Jude's shoulder gently.

Jude pulled away from his sister. "Sorry."

"B, why don't you help Callie upstairs while Mama and I start lunch?" Stef suggested to her eldest son.

"I'm fine. I can manage the stairs on my own." Callie insisted. She moved out of Stef and Lena's arms, but stumbled when she put weight on her injured ankle. Brandon grabbed onto her to steady her.

"And you want to go up the stairs by yourself." Stef sighed. "Callie, I thought we said you can't say fine anymore. The doctor let you go home as long as you rest. Your body is still weak and still healing. And if it weren't for your other injuries you would be on crutches for that ankle. So yes, you need help going up the stairs. That's not something to be ashamed of."

Callie nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

The family dispersed to the kitchen, except for Brandon and Callie. He supported her as they walked to the stairs. Her whole body screamed as she took the first step on the stairs. Brandon paused when he noticed the grimace that spread upon her lips. He wrapped one arm around the small of her back and scooped her into his arms bridal style.

"Wh-what are you doing?" She asked nervously.

"I'm carrying you up the stairs." Brandon replied as he started up the stairs. "And don't say you're fine because I know you're not."

Callie let out a huff as Brandon carried her into her bedroom. He gently placed her on her bed. She played with her hands nervously before glancing up at him. "Thanks."

Brandon sat on the bed beside Callie, turning his neck to look at her. "How are you holding up?"

Callie's vision blurred with unshed tears and her voice cracked when she spoke. "I'm not."

Brandon pulled Callie into his arms as she erupted into sobs. She buried her head into his chest, trembling beneath his arms as she cried. One hand rubbed her back soothingly, while the other gently played with her curls. He wanted to take her pain away; to shield her from all the bad things that happened to her in her sixteen years. "Talk to me, Callie. Please talk to me."

Callie pulled out of his arms and wiped at her eyes. She shook her head. "I can't do this. I can't talk to you about this."

"Why not?"

"Because I still love you!" Callie shouted through her tears. She closed her eyes for a moment as she inhaled deeply.

Silence fell between the two as Brandon tried to process the words that slipped from Callie's mouth. "Callie…"

Callie stood and started for the door. Her body protested the movement, but she ignored it.

"Callie, stop. You're going to hurt yourself." Brandon stood up, but he wasn't sure how to approach her. He didn't want to grab her because he knew that would scare her, but he needed to stop her before she further injured herself.

"I'm already hurt." She choked out. "I swore to myself that I would never let this happen to me again! I spent the past year and a half guarding myself and toughening up so it wouldn't happen again! But it did!"

Brandon watched in horror as Callie collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest. Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled to catch her breath. He knelt to the ground before her and took her hand, placing it on his chest. "Callie, breathe. Please breathe. You're okay. Follow my breaths."

Callie focused on the gentle rise and fall of Brandon's chest. She followed his deep breaths, trying to breathe in sync with him. The burning pressure in her chest began to subside. Her lungs seemed to finally fill with oxygen. The room began to stop spinning. She kept her hand on his as shook her head, tears tumbling down her cheeks. "I'm weak."

"You are not weak. You are the strongest girl I know. Crying or falling apart or asking for help doesn't make you weak." Brandon took the hand that was on his chest into his and used his other hand to gently wipe away her tears with his thumb. He lifted her chin and gazed into her sorrow filled eyes. "I still love you too, you know. I never stopped and I don't think I ever will."

"What are we supposed to do? We can't be together. I want to be with you so bad, believe me, but I really need a family. Especially now." Callie looked up into his eyes to find them full of love and care. She let out a humorless laugh, peeling her eyes away from his. "I don't even think I'm in the right mental state for anyone to love me."

"Hey, I just said I love you. I always will." Brandon said, taking her hand in his. "Maybe I can move back in with my dad again or…"

"Lunch is ready!"

Callie jumped as Stef's voice rang throughout the house. She wiped at her eyes before moving to stand up. Her body gave out on her and she dropped back to the floor, a whimper escaping her lips.

"Callie." Brandon breathed out nervously. He grabbed onto her upper arms. "Are you okay?"

The truth was she wasn't okay and she didn't know if she would ever be okay. But her family was waiting downstairs for her and she didn't want everyone to worry about her. So she forced back her tears and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I just keep forgetting how messed up my body is."

Brandon helped Callie onto her feet and brushed her hair out of her face. "That's why you need to let us take care of you."

Callie limped towards the stairs with the support of Brandon. "It's an adjustment. Letting people take care of me. I haven't had that since I was ten."

"Well you have a family now." Brandon smiled. He stopped at the top of the stairs and scooped her into his arms, careful not to hurt her further.

Lena sighed as she closed the bedroom door behind her. She slipped into bed beside her wife. "Callie's asleep, although I don't know how long it will be before she wakes up from a nightmare."

"I just got off the phone with Mike." Stef looked over at Lena with a mix of worry, sorrow, and anger in her eyes. "Vico is out on bail."

"What?" Lena shouted. She lowered her voice so she wouldn't wake up the kids. "Are you serious? How can they do that?"

"They set the bail very high, but his parents have money." Stef shook her head furiously. "He has to wear an anklet though. He can't go more than fifty miles out of the city and he's not allowed to go within fifteen feet of Callie or any of us."

"What about school?"

"He has to be homeschooled." Stef said. She paused for a moment. "I don't think we should tell Callie."

"That's a terrible idea." Lena raised her eyebrows as she looked at her wife.

"She won't admit it, but she is terrified and I don't blame her. Do you want to scare her anymore?" Stef's voice raised an octave. "We'll just keep an extra close eye on her and not let her go out alone. Not that she even can right now anyway. I don't think he's going to do anything, though. That would revoke his bail and could get him time in jail in addition to whatever he gets for what he did to Callie."

"And what happens if she runs into him in a store or hears that he's out in school? People talk and Vico was popular. Do you really want Callie to find out from someone else?" Lena understood her wife's reasons for keeping this from Callie, but she knew doing so would be worse. Especially when Callie found out they were keeping it from her; the brunette hated not knowing things.

"Well then you can be the one to tell her." Stef snapped, grabbing the bed remote and flattening the bed.

Lena watched her wife turn on her side, leaving her back to face Lena. "Stef."

"If you want to tell her, then you tell her." Stef's voice was bitter as she remained on her side. "I'm not breaking that girl any more than she already is."

"I know you're trying to protect her, but it's not right to keep it from her." Lena said. "Callie doesn't like to have thing kept from her and it's very likely that she is going to find out. Do you really want her to hear it from someone else?"

Stef turned over to face her wife, letting out a sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just…I hate to see her like this and knowing that Vico is out is going to terrify her."

"I know, but it's for the best." Lena smiled sadly, placing her hand on Stef's and squeezing it gently. She reached over to turn off the lamp beside her bed. "We'll get her through this."

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Brandon glanced at the clock on his nightstand. 3:23 A.M. He couldn't sleep. He hasn't been able to since Callie ended up in the hospital. The guilt was consuming him. Vico hurt Callie to get back at him and that's all he could think about. He just wanted to take Callie's pain away. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a scared whimper pierce through the silent house. Brandon threw the covers off his body and quietly made his way to Mariana and Callie's room.

Callie's face was scrunched together. Her body was trembling and she was writhing beneath the sheets. "No. Stop it. Please stop."

Callie's pleads felt like a stab to Brandon's heart. He felt anger burst within him at Liam and Vico for ignoring her pleads; for causing her all this pain and fear. He made her way to Callie's bed and kneeled beside it. "Callie, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

"Get off! Get off!" Callie's voice became more desperate as her breathing hitched.

Brandon glanced at Mariana to see she was still asleep. He gently placed his hand on Callie's shoulder, slightly shaking her. "Callie, wake up."

Callie's eyes shot open, wide with terror. Her heart pounded within her chest. She sat up quickly, grimacing at the pain that sparked in her ribs. Her eyes darted around the room anxiously before finally settling on Brandon. "I'm sorry. I used to be able to keep quiet when I had nightmares."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment. She used to force herself to stay quiet during her nightmares. Probably because her previous foster families got angry with her if she woke them up. Probably to keep Jude from worrying. "Hey, you don't need to apologize. It's completely normal to have nightmares and I'm glad you made noise so I could wake you up from it. Plus I was awake already. You didn't wake me up."

Callie looked past Brandon at Mariana who remained sleeping. "I guess I didn't wake her up."

"Nah, she's a heavy sleeper." Brandon chuckled slightly. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

Callie bit down on her lower lip. "It wasn't a nightmare, it was a flashback."

"Do you want me to get moms?"

"No, no." Callie whispered.

"Callie, you know I would do anything to go back and change this."

Callie shook her head. "I don't blame you, Brandon. It wasn't your fault. Please, don't blame yourself. I can't handle knowing that you are hurting because you think it's your fault."

She was worrying about him. She had been raped and beaten and she was worrying about him. "Callie, you've been through hell, especially this past week, and you're worrying about _me_ hurting?"

"What happens to me doesn't matter if the people I love are okay."

Brandon wanted to cry. She thought she was worthless. He wanted to shake her and tell her that she did matter until she finally believed him. "Callie, what happens to you _does_ matter. You are important. I know you've spent practically your whole life protecting Jude, but you need people to protect you too because you _matter_."

"No, I don't. If I did I wouldn't be tossed around from home to home with people who hit me and saw me as nothing more than the girl who cleaned their house and earned them a paycheck every week." Callie whispered as a new batch of tears bubbled in her eyes. "My mother was killed because my father was driving intoxicated. Our first foster home was probably one of the better ones. The husband and wife barely acknowledged us, but at least we were safe. I was forced to be a mother to Jude. I had just turned eleven when we moved to the second, Jude was seven. They told us if we took food from the kitchen, we would be hit with a belt twenty times. I tried sneaking food, but they usually found out. I never let Jude take food. I would always do it for him. I skipped a lot of meals that year. The third home hated us. They would lock me in a closet for days sometimes. The fourth home was the Olmsteads. Jude loved this home. It was the first home he was happy in since my mother died. The parents loved him, clearly favored him because the dad preferred boys over girls. They were pretty good though. They cared somewhat. After we were there for five months…L-Liam came home from college-he dropped out. And well you know how that one ends. Our fifth was probably the worst. He went out drinking every night and when he came back he always found a reason to hit me. And the one time I wasn't there to protect Jude, he got hit and I went crazy which sent me to juvie, where I was a punching bag again. And you know the rest. So tell me if I matter then why did I go through all of that?"

Brandon's heart was breaking as Callie exposed her past to him. He was happy she was letting her walls down. That was something that Callie rarely did. "Jude never got hit?"

"Only once or twice." Callie sniffed. "I never let him. I always took the blame for him or did something worse so they would come after me instead."

"Callie." Brandon sighed sadly. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that this selfless, amazing girl had gone through such horrors. "You do matter. You matter so much. You just got really unlucky, but you have us and we're going to get you through everything. I will spend the rest of my life reversing the damage that everyone did to you."

Callie frowned. She glanced at the clock. "Brandon, it's almost four in the morning. I'm sorry for keeping you up."

"Don't apologize. I don't care that it's four. You can wake me up every night if it means making you feel better." Brandon said, softly brushing away the tears on her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "I love you."

"I love you too." Callie whispered. She met his eyes hesitantly. "Would…would you mind…staying with me the rest of the night?"

Brandon smiled warmly. "Of course."

Callie winced as she scooted herself over in her bed to make room for Brandon. She knew she shouldn't be doing this; giving in to her feelings for Brandon. But he gave her a sense of safety. She felt like nothing could hurt her when she was in his arms and right now she needed that more than anything.

Brandon slipped into the bed and wrapped his arms around Callie. He pressed a ginger kiss to the top of her head as she rested it on his chest. His fingers danced in her curls, lulling her to sleep. He waited until her breathing evened out before letting himself drift off.

"Let's go, breakfast is ready!" Stef shouted as she placed a platter of scrambled eggs on the table.

Mariana scooped some eggs into her plate from her spot at the kitchen table. "Who's staying home with Callie today?"

"I am. I'm taking a late shift tonight so I can be home with Callie until Mama gets off from work." Stef took a sip of her coffee before placing it on the counter. "Brandon, Jude, Jesus, let's go!"

Jude ran down the stairs and hopped onto a kitchen chair. "Brandon's helping Callie downstairs."

Brandon entered the kitchen, his arm around Callie's waist as she limped beside him. Lena looked over at the two and helped Callie onto a chair. "You should have stayed in bed, sweetheart. We could have brought you breakfast upstairs."

"I'm so tired of sitting in bed." Callie said, watching as Lena scooped eggs into a plate and placed it in front of Callie. "I'm not that hungry."

Stef and Lena exchanged glances. Stef walked over and placed a hand on Callie's shoulder. "Sweets, I know it might be hard, but you've got to eat. Just a little bit is fine."

Callie nodded and reluctantly slipped a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

"Jesus!" Stef shouted, causing Callie to flinch. Stef frowned and gently rubbed her foster daughter's shoulder. "Sorry, love."

Everyone's eyes moved towards Jude as he let out a frustrated groan. He stared down at his shirt with a new stain on his chest. "I spilled orange juice on my shirt."

"Go change now so you're not late." Lena said. She waited for him to leave before she spoke up again. "Mariana, Brandon, mom and I have to talk to Callie."

Callie felt her stomach twist with anxiety. Whenever they wanted to talk to her alone it meant something was wrong. "They can stay."

Stef hesitated, looking at her daughter and son. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Callie nodded. She really only wanted Brandon here. She felt safer with his presence, but she couldn't tell them that. "It's just Mariana and Brandon."

Lena paused for a moment, struggling to form words. "There was a bail hearing yesterday for Vico and Liam and…the bail was set very high but…"

"But what?" Callie asked nervously.

"Vico's out on bail." Lena blurted out, waiting for Callie's reaction. Callie's face was unreadable; void of any emotion.

Callie's stomach shifted uneasily. Her heart began to throb against her rib cage painfully. The words replayed her head over and over, hoping she had heard them wrong.

"Are you fucking kidding me? They can't do that!" Brandon's voiced boomed throughout the kitchen, thick with fury.

Stef felt Callie begin to tremble beneath her and her body tense when Brandon shouted. "Brandon, you're scaring Callie. And watch your language."

"I'm sorry, but this is insane. How is he even allowed a bail?" Brandon paced the kitchen, throwing his arms in the air with frustration. "What about Liam?"

Stef noted that Callie flinched at the mention of Liam's name. "Both of their bails were set for $500,000. Liam couldn't afford it; most people can't. However, Vico comes from a very wealthy family and they were able to pay for the bail. He's not allowed to come within fifteen feet of Callie or any of us, he can't go more than twenty miles out of the city, and he must wear an anklet."

Lena studied Callie, struggling to read the brunette's emotions. Callie remained quiet, her body tense and rigid. "Callie, you haven't said anything."

Callie peeled her eyes off the wall at the sound of her name. "There's nothing to say. This is how it goes. I get hurt and nobody gets punished for it."

Stef was furious at the people in Callie's past. She knew the girl had a rough past with a history of abuse, but she didn't know the extent of it. She also knew that nobody seemed to do anything about it. "Callie, they will be punished. It's not fair that he's out on bail, but he won't hurt you. He's not allowed near you and if he comes within five feet of our house or the school his anklet sets off an alarm. But believe me after the trial they will both be in jail for a very long time."

Callie shook her head as tears tumbled down her cheeks. "No, it doesn't work that way. Nobody believes the trashy foster girl who is just looking for attention and has a history of juvie and sleeping with her foster brother."

Stef blinked back her own tears. How was she supposed to convince Callie that this would work out when she had been let down so many times? "Callie…"

"No, this is just the way it goes. Nobody ever believes me. Nobody believed me when we were starving in our second foster home. Nobody believed me when Liam forced me to have sex with him. Nobody believed that our foster father was beating the shit out of me practically every night just because he felt like it. Nobody believed me that I smashed his car to get him to stop hitting Jude." Callie let out a choked sob at the end of her rant.

Stef wrapped her arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "We believe you, Callie. I know life hasn't been fair to you, but I promise you that we will do everything in our power to put Liam and Vico away for as long as we can."

 _Thanks for reading! There's still a ton more to come! Review!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Callie stood before the mirror, gawking at her reflection. Tears pooled beneath her eyelids as she examined the marks that littered her body. The bruise beneath her eye was prominent, fading the slightest bit since the attack a week ago. The bruise running along her jaw was still purple, the edges beginning to turn a shade of green. The gash on the corner of her forehead was still red and raised, healing from the removal of the stitches two days ago. Her neck and the swell of her breasts were decorated by an array of red marks from the healing bite marks. The bruises on her arms began to fade, some remaining darker. Her bruised and swollen wrist was hidden beneath the cast. The right side of her abdomen was a blend of purple and blue. A long scratch ran across her stomach above her bellybutton. Both of her inner thighs were painted with a large bruise and topped with scratches. She wore a brace on her left knee and a splint on her left ankle.

She tore her eyes away from her reflection, not even bothering to look at her back. She knew it was just as bruised as her front. She wiped at her tears furiously and dragged herself to her closet. She gaped at the clothes hanging for a moment before more tears flooded her eyes.

Today was her and Jude's adoption day; a day that she had been waiting for since her mother died. She was supposed to feel happy, but all that she felt was pain, physical and emotional pain. Just another thing Liam and Vico ruined.

She flinched when she saw the knob turning and she quickly grabbed the towel to wrap it around her body. The door opened and Mariana stepped inside, her eyes locking with Callie's teary ones. "Hey, sorry. I didn't know you were in here. Are you okay?"

"I don't know what to wear." Callie whispered as a single tear escaped her eye.

Mariana had never seen Callie so vulnerable. She closed the door quietly and walked to the closet. "Well you asked the right person."

"I wanted to look nice, but nothing hides my bruises."

Mariana glanced at her sister's body, cringing slightly at the marks. Callie only wore a towel; the most amount of skin Mariana has seen since the attack. These marks were already a week old. Mariana couldn't imagine what Callie had been through.

Callie watched Mariana's eyes scan her body and suddenly her insecurity tripled. "I'm ugly."

Mariana shook her head quickly, her features softening as she took Callie's hand in her own. "No, no. You are nowhere near ugly. You are beautiful. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable; I just can't imagine how much you are hurting."

Callie remained silent, unconvinced by the shorter brunette's words. She watched as Mariana moved to the closet and browsed the dresses hanging in Callie's section. "I think the only thing that'll cover everything is a Hazmat suit."

Mariana smiled at Callie's sarcasm. She pulled out a dark, navy blue dress with purple flowers decorating the fabric. "What about this? We can't cover everything, but that doesn't mean you can't look nice."

"The only way you're getting me to look nice is with a magic wand." Callie scoffed, but she took the dress from Mariana's hand.

"That's not true. You look good in pretty much anything." Mariana said, earning a skeptical glance from Callie. "Do you want me to leave while you get dressed?"

Callie chewed on her bottom lip. "I um…I'm going to need help."

"Okay, I can do that." Mariana smiled. She wanted to help her foster sister in any way that she could, even if it was something as simple as helping her get dressed.

The Foster children sat patiently in the courtroom waiting area. Mariana was texting feverishly beside Brandon. Brandon was looking back and forth between Mariana and Callie, who sat on his other side. Callie was fighting a battle in her head. Jude sat next to Callie with a wide smile plastered across his face as he talked to Jesus, who was beside him. Lena and Stef stood further away talking to the lawyer.

Brandon glanced over at his sister. "Everything okay?"

Mariana tore her eyes away from her phone to look at Brandon. "Uh yeah. Zac is just going to live with his Dad and he's leaving today."

Brandon frowned. "I'm sorry."

Mariana blinked back tears. "It's fine. I'll be fine."

Brandon offered his sister a smile as he patted her leg. "You will be. You'll find someone."

Stef strolled over to the seats and looked at Jude and Callie. "Hey, can I talk to you two for a second?"

Callie and Jude glanced at one another as they stood and followed Stef to where Lena was standing. Stef stood beside Lena and spoke up hesitantly. "So there's…there's a problem with the adoption…with uh Callie's paperwork."

Callie felt her stomach drop. She nodded as she glanced back and forth between Stef and Lena. "What? What is it?"

"The uh the court needed your original birth certificate. I guess there were only duplicates in your foster care file and um…when they got yours…" Lena's voice trailed off as she turned to Stef to continue.

"There was a different name listed for father." Stef announced.

Silenced fell among the four. The words rung in Callie's ear. Another shock. "So…Donald isn't my dad?"

"Not according to the birth certificate. It says Robert Quinn? Does that name mean anything to you?" Lena asked.

"Um well Quinn is my middle name. But Mom told me it was a family name." Callie swallowed thickly. "What does this mean?"

"We don't uh…" Lena began, glancing at her wife. "We don't really know."

"We'll talk to Donald, see what he knows. We'll figure something out, I promise." Stef said sincerely as she watched Callie's eyes dart around the room. "But until then…"

"I'm not getting adopted." Callie finished. Jude snapped his head towards his sister.

Lena looked at Stef once more before returning her attention to Callie. "Not today, but you are getting adopted, Callie. We promise."

"Well…" Jude spoke up meekly. "I'm not getting adopted without you."

Callie turned to face her brother as she shook her head. "No, Jude. We have waited too long for this day, okay? I'm not going to let you do this."

"But…" Jude started sadly.

"No, it's okay, it's okay." Callie reassured as she bent over him slightly and rested her hands on his shoulders. "Hey, I'm okay, alright? Today is your day."

Jude's eyes glistened with tears as he listened to his sister.

"You are going to walk into that courtroom and officially, officially, officially become a member of this family. Okay?"

"Okay." Jude nodded with a sniffle.

Callie moved her hands to her brother's cheeks and forced a smile. It was taking everything to hold it together, but she had to for Jude. "Okay."

Callie leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Jude's cheek. Stef and Lena watched with their own tears gleaming in their eyes. They didn't know how much more heartbreak they could watch Callie suffer through.

"I'm just going to step out and get some air." Callie whispered. It was only a matter of time before she finally fell apart.

"Callie." Lena said with concern.

"I'll be back in a minute." Callie reassured as she took off for the exit. She needed to get away from everyone. She needed to get out of this courtroom. Her eyes darted around when she stepped outside. She made it to a nearby bench, practically collapsing on it as she grabbed her tightening chest. She was trying to take deep breaths, but they just became shallow and heavy. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her hands grew clammy.

"Callie."

Callie's head shot up at the sound of the voice and suddenly Stef was sitting beside her.

"Callie, take deep breaths. You're okay, you're safe. You're having a panic attack. You'll get through this." Stef spoke softly as she gently grabbed one of Callie's hands. "In and out, in and out."

Callie followed Stef's words. Her breathing evened out after a few moments. She peeled her eyes away from Stef, ashamed of her reaction. She needed to be stronger. Especially now that this was Jude's day.

"Are you okay?" Stef asked hesitantly. She could practically see the battle erupting in Callie's mind.

Callie nodded as she took interest in her hands. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, love." Stef placed a hand on Callie's shoulder.

Callie tensed for a moment until she reminded herself that it was just Stef. "I shouldn't have acted that way. I…I need to control my emotions better."

Stef frowned. "Callie, it's okay to be upset, it's okay to fall apart. There is nothing wrong or weak about that."

Callie smiled sadly. "My second foster parents used to tell me I was a baby whenever I cried. Jim used to beat me more for the few times I cried in front of him."

Stef felt physical pain strike her heart for all the hurt and horror the girl before her had gone through. She rubbed Callie's shoulder soothingly. "You've been extremely mistreated, Callie, and I completely understand why you put up walls and hold in your emotions, but you are safe now. You have a loving family and you need to let those walls down; you need to let your emotions out. We will never, never judge you or be upset with your emotions."

Callie blinked back tears as she met Stef's eyes again. "But I can't be a part of the family."

Stef took both of Callie's hands in her own. "Listen to me, you will always be a part of this family. I don't care if there is a piece of paper declaring that or not, you will always be a part of this family. There is nothing you can do to change that. We will always love you no matter what."

Callie looked into Stef's eyes as her own eyes gleamed with unshed tears. Stef pulled Callie into her arms and that was all it took to break the barrier. Tears rushed down Callie's cheeks and splashed onto Stef's shoulders. Stef and Callie held onto one another tightly as if they were the only thing keeping one another breathing. They sat like that for several minutes; neither of them wanted to let go of the other. Callie was the one to pull away reluctantly. She wiped at her dampened cheeks. "I guess we should go back in. I don't want to worry Jude."

Stef smiled. Callie's selflessness and unconditional love for her brother amazed her. "Okay, but I want you to remember this conversation."

Callie nodded as she blinked back remaining tears. She inhaled deeply and wiped her face once more. Stef helped Callie off the bench and they made their way back into the courtroom. Stef caught Lena's eyes and the two nodded at one another.

Lena walked over to Callie and embraced her in a hug. She rubbed her back gently. "This doesn't change anything. You're still a member of this family and you always will be."

Callie suddenly felt overwhelmed with love and she was so grateful for it. She hadn't felt this much love since her mother and that feeling had been squandering from her memory. "Thank you."

"There's no need to thank us." Lena whispered as she let go of the young brunette.

The ceremony continued. Callie watched as Jude signed the papers wearing an ear to ear smile. Lena and Stef wore matching ones as they stood close by to him. Callie was genuinely happy for her brother and extremely relieved that he was safe, but part of her was heartbroken that she wasn't standing up there with him

 _Thanks for reading! Thanks for reading! The dialogue between the moms and Jude and Callie is from the show. This story will somewhat follow scenes from the show, but in its own way. Sorry for the delay, I was taking a couple of online summer courses and that was taking up my free time. Those are finished now and I can focus on writing before the semester begins. Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Callie walked into the pharmacy, her eyes scanning the store. She discreetly walked to the family planning aisle, picking up three different pregnancy tests. She kept her eyes downcast as she handed the tests to the cashier. She refused to meet the judgmental eyes of the woman working the register. She paid quickly and left with the bag.

She stopped in the supermarket on her walk home and went to the bathroom in the back. She let out a sigh of relief when she found it empty. She went into a stall and performed the steps for all three tests. Her stomach churned anxiously as she paced back in forth in the stall, waiting for the time to pass. Two minutes. It sounded like a short period of time, but in this moment it felt like a lifetime. She checked the clock on her phone every three seconds.

Callie took a deep breath when the two minutes finished. Her heart pounded in her chest. Trembling and clammy hands lifted the three tests. They all contained the same symbol- a small pink plus sign; a small pink plus sign that just changed her life completely.

Nausea swam in the pit of her stomach. The room began to spin. She leaned against the wall of the stall to stop herself from falling. She closed her eyes, trying to process this. She was pregnant; carrying the baby of Liam or Vico. How did this even happen? They had given her emergency contraception at the hospital, but she had gotten so sick after that. She probably never actually absorbed the medication. Once again, the world was fighting against her.

Callie let out a sob as tears erupted from her eyes. What was she supposed to do? She was sixteen and she was still technically a foster child. What would happen if Bill found out? Would he take her from the Fosters and throw her into a group home. This was too much. All of this was too much. She didn't know how much more she could take.

She jumped when she heard someone enter the bathroom. She threw the tests in the garbage and exited the stall. She washed her hands and wiped away her tears before leaving the bathroom.

* * *

Lena walked out of the bathroom to find her wife sitting on the bed with her eyes glued to the screen of her phone. "Stef, Callie went to see Daphne. She is going to be fine."

"I know, I know. I just worry about her. This is the first time she's been out alone since the…winter ball." Stef sighed, tossing her phone on the nightstand. "She acts so strong and tough, but she's hurting so much inside. I can tell and I just worry. She bottles everything inside."

"I know. Give her time. Everything is still so fresh and she's still learning that she doesn't have to bottle things in here. " Lena sat on the bed beside her wife. She paused for a moment. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course." Stef nodded. "Is everything okay?"

Lena took a deep breath. "Well the timing is horrible with everything going on, and honestly I forgot about it since everything happened with Callie, but…I realized my period is two weeks late. I stopped to get a blood test yesterday and they just called with the results."

Stef's eyes widened. She completely forgot about Lena trying to get pregnant.

"I'm pregnant." Lena whispered. Her eyes searched Stef's face for a reaction.

Stef let out a breath as tears welled in her eyes. "Wow I…you're right the timing is terrible…"

Lena looked away nervously.

"But I feel nothing but love for you and this baby right now." Stef cried. She threw her arms around her wife, enveloping her in her embrace. Her hands moved up to cup Lena's cheeks and she leaned forward to plant a kiss on her lips. Her hand then slid down to rest on Lena's still thin stomach. "We're going to have a baby. I think this is what we need right now."

Lena let out a joyous laugh. "We're going to have a baby."

* * *

Callie entered the house to find her family sitting on the couch. Stef turned at the sound of the door and patted the couch. "Come sit, love. Mama and I want to talk to everyone."

Callie hesitated before she limped to the couch, taking the empty spot next to Brandon. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. Did they finally become fed up with her? Were they going to give up with her adoption? "What's up?"

"Well…" Lena began.

"Mama's pregnant." Stef finished with a wide grin.

Callie felt the blood drain from her face. Her stomach lurched. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time.

"Are you serious? That's awesome! This is like a late Christmas present!" Mariana jumped up and threw her arms around both of her mothers.

"Wow, that's great." Brandon smiled. He glanced at Callie, observing her pale face and nervous expression.

"This is so cool! I'm going to be a big brother!" Jude's eyes were wide with excitement.

"Callie, you okay, sweets? You haven't said anything." Stef noted her foster daughter's distant look.

Callie's eyes darted to Stef and Lena, plastering a large smile across her lips. "Yeah, yeah. I'm really happy for you guys. I'm just not feeling too well."

Stef frowned. "How was your day with Daphne? You were only gone for an hour."

"Uh yeah, she had to go back to work. It was good though." Callie hated lying, but she couldn't bring herself to tell them what she really was doing. Especially now that Lena had just announced she was pregnant. "I still have a lot of school work to catch up on that I'm trying to finish before winter break ends, so I'm going to go work on that."

Stef's heart ached as she watched the brunette disappear up the stairs. She just wanted Callie to talk to her and express the way she was feeling. She knew it wasn't healthy for the young girl to keep everything inside. "I just wish she would talk to us."

"I don't think she knows how." Jude said sadly. "She thinks she has to be strong for everybody. She used to always take the beating for me when we were in our other homes and when it was over she would always make sure I was okay and tell me she was fine. She would pretend like she was, but I always knew that she was hurting. I think she's afraid too. She never talks to me because she thinks she has to be strong for me and she talked to Bill once and he didn't believe her. So she's never had anyone to talk to. Nobody's cared about us until you guys."

Stef couldn't believe what these kids had endured. "Callie took _beatings_ for you? How often did this happen?"

"Well it depended what house we were in. Our last one was the worst. She got beat almost everyday unless he stayed out at the bars all night. It wasn't even usually her fault. He got mad at me a lot and she would talk back to him or take the blame so he wouldn't come after me." Jude hung his head shamefully.

Stef moved so she was kneeling in front of the couch before him. "Hey, listen to me. What your foster father- or any of your foster parents- did to you and Callie was not yours or Callie's fault. Nobody deserves to be beat. I don't care what you did. Okay?"

Jude nodded, pulling Stef into a hug. "Okay."

Callie closed the door behind her and tears began to stream down her face rapidly. Lena was pregnant and so was she. What did this mean? Lena was probably only a week or two further in her pregnancy than Callie. Two babies? What were Stef and Lena going to do when they found out she was pregnant too?

Callie knew there was no way she would get an abortion. She couldn't personally bring herself to do that. The baby was innocent in this situation and the baby was half of her. She also knew she would never be able to give the baby up for adoption. Not after everything she had gone through in foster care. How was she supposed to raise a baby though? She could barely take care of herself. A baby would be another person she would have to protect from this evil world.

Sweat beaded on Callie's forehead and she felt the bile rising in her throat. Her stomach twisted as nausea overwhelmed her. She darted to the bathroom, letting out a pained cry as her ankle protested the movement. She practically stumbled into the toilet, clutching her stomach as the contents of it spilled into the toilet.

"Callie?" Brandon called out as he peeked into the bathroom. He was coming up the stairs when he saw her run into the bathroom. He walked over to her and gathered her soft curls in his hand.

She vomited several more times before she stood up on her trembling legs.

Brandon watched as she flushed the toilet and rinsed her mouth before he spoke up. "Are you okay?"

Callie nodded, but her eyes said otherwise as they filled with tears.

"What's going on? You've been acting strange since you came home. Did something happen?" Brandon asked. He could see the thoughts running through Callie's mind.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out before she had the chance to stop herself. She needed someone to know her secret. She had only known for an hour, but it was tearing her apart.

The room fell silent as Brandon tried to process the words that had just slipped from Callie's mouth. Callie was pregnant. "Are…are you sure?"

Callie nodded. "I took three tests and they were all positive."

"B-but you took…you took emergency contraception." Brandon felt like he was trapped in a nightmare.

"And I threw up a million times after that." Callie whispered, her lower lips trembling. "Why does everything go wrong for me? When do I get to catch a break? I can't do this."

"Shh, it's going to be okay." Brandon pulled her into his arms and sobs racked her trembling body. Brandon closed his eyes for a moment. He wanted to take her pain away. He wanted to go back in time and turn down Vico's offer.

Callie began to wheeze against Brandon and she tore away from his arms to clutch her chest. She crumpled to the floor, her eyes shutting tightly. "No! Get off!"

 _Vico's bare body crushed her trembling one. Callie jerked as his hand settled between her legs. She writhed beneath him, but his grip tightened on her wrists pinned above her head, sending shocks of pain through the wrist she knew was broken. She choked out a sob as she felt his nails dig into her thighs, pushing her legs apart. "No! Stop it!"_

Brandon was frozen as he watched the scene unfold before him. He thought she was having a panic attack at first, but now he knew it was something worse. He knelt down beside her, gently touching her shoulder.

"No, don't touch me!" She shrieked hysterically. She pushed at his hand, shaking her head frantically.

Stef and Lena raced into the bathroom; Jude, Mariana, and Jesus waited outside the bathroom. Lena's eyes grew wide with horror as she took in the terrified girl on the floor. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. She was upset and all of a sudden she just freaked out."

"Please." Callie's voice grew desperate. "Please stop."

"I think she's having a flashback." Stef whispered nervously. She had learned how to get Callie through a panic attack, but she had no idea what to do when it came to a flashback. She didn't want to touch her because she knew she would only frighten her further. "Callie."

"Please." She begged. "Stop."

Brandon felt his eyes water as he listened to Callie's helpless pleads. He wanted to hurt Vico and Liam for ignoring her frantic cries. He crouched down before her, his voice soft. "Callie, it's Brandon. Open your eyes. It's not real."

"Brandon, help." She whimpered. "Make them stop."

"It's not real, Callie. It's just a flashback. You're safe. You're at home. Open your eyes." Brandon cautiously reached his arm out, but refrained from touching her. "Come on, open your eyes. I'm right here."

Callie's eyes shot open, wide with horror. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath and her lower lip trembled. She dove into Brandon's arms, soaking his shirt with her tears. He held her close, tracing calming circles on her back. He gently rocked her, letting her cry. There were so many thoughts running through his head, especially about the news she had just exposed to him, but he needed to focus on calming her down right now. "You're okay, Callie. You're safe."

"Cal, do you want to talk about what happened?" Stef asked softly. Tears stung her eyelids as she watched the young brunette tremble in her son's arms.

Callie pulled out of Brandon's arms and wiped at her face. She began to chew on her lower lip as she inhaled deeply in an attempt to compose herself. Her eyes darted around the room. She felt mentally scolded herself for falling apart in front of everyone. "I'm fine, I'm sorry."

Stef turned to face the three concerned children behind her. She could sense Callie's discomfort. "Why don't you guys go set the table for dinner?"

Callie watched the three teenagers reluctantly tread away. She looked between Stef and Lena. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Callie, it seems like you had a flashback, which must have been really scary." Lena took a step closer to Callie.

"I'm fine." Callie shook her head as she attempted to get up. She let out a cry of frustration when she realized she couldn't get up between her sprained ankle, broken wrist, and broken ribs.

"Callie." Stef began.

"No, I just need to finish my homework."

"Callie, you…"

"No, I don't want to talk about it! I don't want to talk about any of it! I just want to forget it ever happened!" Callie's voice cracked as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Lena frowned as she knelt down before Callie. She reached out to take Callie's uninjured hand in her own. "My love, I know you want to forget and I wish you could, but we all know that's not going to happen. I know that this is really hard to talk about, but it's the only way that it's not going to hurt so much. It's okay if you don't want to talk to us about it, but you haven't been to your therapist since this happened and I think…I think you need to start going back or seeing someone else."

Callie nodded her head as more tears shone in her eyes. "Okay."

 _Thanks for reading! Big reveal this chapter, but still a ton more twists and surprises to come. Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Callie glanced at the crowded kitchen and living room before slipping outside to the front porch. She pulled the door closed behind her and inhaled the fresh air. She grimaced as she lowered her body to sit on the porch steps.

She was happy to see this year come to an end; it had been a nightmarish year. However, she found it hard to believe that the new year would be any easier. She brought her hand to her stomach and looked down at her thin waist; still no evidence that there was a human growing inside. Three days of knowing and her mind still couldn't grasp that she was pregnant.

Callie flinched as the door clicked open, snapping her from her thoughts. She whipped her head back to find Brandon closing the door behind him. A smile stretched his lips as his eyes met Callie's. "Hey, you okay?"

She nodded her head as he took a seat beside her. "Yeah, I just wanted to step out for a few minutes."

"It's almost midnight." Brandon said. "Mama has all the glasses of champagne and sparkling cider set up if you want to come back in to count down. Moms actually let us drink champagne on New Year's Eve."

"I can't have any." Callie reminded.

"Right, sorry." Brandon nodded. He was still struggling to process that she was pregnant. "Well there's sparkling cider too."

"I think I'm just going to stay out here. I was never really a New Year's Eve fan."

"The Foster's love New Year's Eve, hence the big party, so you better get used to it." Brandon chuckled.

"My mom, Jude, and I used to love it and after she died Jude and I would celebrate together. Every year I thought, this is going to be the year, the year we get adopted and everything goes right, but…I guess I realized the past few years how stupid that was. I feel like it just keeps getting worse and harder." Callie fiddled her fingers anxiously. "And so, to me it feels like one bad year is ending and just starting an even worse one."

Brandon frowned. He reached across and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "I'm going to make sure that this year is better for you."

Callie met Brandon's eyes and a small smile found her lips. "You don't have to hang out here with me. You should go back in before you miss the ball drop."

"I want to stay out here with you." Brandon gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I want to start the new year with you."

"Twenty…nineteen…"

Callie glanced back at the house at the distant sound of the party counting down.

"You're supposed to be with the one you love at midnight." Brandon gazed into her deep chocolate eyes; the eyes that made his heart skip a beat every time he looked into them.

Callie chewed on her bottom lip. "Brandon…"

"twelve…eleven…"

"Callie, I love you." Brandon reached up to brush a curl behind her ear.

"Eight…seven…"

Callie leaned into his touch as his hand cupped her cheek. Brandon's eyes shifted down to Callie's lips.

"four…three…two…"

Callie closed her eyes as Brandon planted his lips on hers.

"Happy New Year!"

Brandon's hand entwined in her curls as he deepened the kiss. Callie's hand reached up to rest on the back of his neck as their lips continued to dance together. A loud boom followed by sparks of color lighting up the night sky pulled Callie and Brandon out of their kiss.

Callie glanced at the fireworks in the sky before returning her eyes to Brandon. "I love you too. I love you so much that it hurts, but what are we doing?"

"Callie, I can't pretend that I don't love you. I…I thought we lost you the night you were attacked. There was so much blood and you went unconscious and they didn't tell us anything for hours. I knew I always loved you, but almost losing you made me that I can't live without you. I love you more than anything."

Callie bit down on her lower lip and reached into Brandon's lap to grasp his hand once more. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Brandon shook his head. "Don't. Don't apologize. It was not your fault."

"I want to be with you so badly, Brandon. You make me feel safe and loved and I need that more than anything right now, but I just…I feel like I'm betraying Stef and Lena. But I don't even feel like the adoption is ever going to go through. But I can't…I can't stop loving you. I tried, I tried so hard."

Brandon caressed the top of her hand with his thumb. "I know, I feel the same way. Maybe we should just talk to moms."

Callie nodded. "Okay. But can we just wait and keep us quiet for a little while. Let's see what happens after the DNA test because there may not even be any possibility of an adoption."

"Of course. Anything you want." A smirk found Brandon's lips. "So does this mean we're dating?"

Callie smiled and squeezed his hand gently. "Yes."

Brandon leaned in a pressed his lips to hers once more. He pulled away with an ear to ear smile. "I think you're having a pretty good start to your year."

Callie giggled and shrugged. "I guess it's okay…"

Brandon chuckled before he brushed a curl out of Callie's face. "It's nice to hear that laugh again."

A moment of peaceful silence fell between the two for a moment; both enjoying each other's presence. Callie looked back at the front door. "As much as I would love to stay out here with you, we should probably go back in before they come looking for us."

"You're right." Brandon nodded as he stood and offered his hand to help Callie. He noticed her grimace as she took his hand to stand. "You're still in a lot of pain, aren't you?"

At times Callie hated that Brandon knew her so well; she couldn't hide anything from him. "I'm fine, I just…I stopped taking my pain meds because of…the pregnancy."

"Callie…" Brandon sighed. The thought of the pregnancy affecting her medication hadn't crossed his mind. "Is there something else you can take?"

Callie shrugged. "I mean I think Tylenol is safe, but I'm not positive so I'm not risking it. Plus, I don't really think anything over the counter is going to help."

"When are you going to tell Moms?"

"I…I don't know." Any time Callie considered telling her foster mothers, she erased the idea. She was still trying to process it herself and telling them only made it that much more real. She feared their reaction and thoughts too.

Brandon opened his mouth to speak, but the front door clicked open. Lena stood in the doorway. "There you two are. Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Mama." Brandon shot Callie a glance to let her know their conversation wasn't over before he walked over to his mother and wrapped his arms around her. She pressed a kiss to his head and then stepped towards Callie. Brandon smiled at the two before stepping back inside the house.

"Happy New Year, my love." Lena held her arms open for Callie.

Callie took a step closer to her foster mother and leaned into her embrace. "Happy New Year."

"You doing alright? How come you were out here?" Lena gently stroked Callie's curls.

Callie nodded against Lena's shoulder. "I'm fine, I just got a little overwhelmed in there."

"Sorry, we get very festive for Christmas and New Year's. We throw a big New Year's Eve party every year."

"Oh no, it's fine. I just…needed a break." Callie pulled out of Lena's arms.

"There's champagne inside. It's the one night we allow you guys to have a glass." Lena grinned.

Callie froze. She swallowed thickly. "I…uh probably can't with the medicine."

Lena smiled sadly. She placed a hand over her small stomach. "That makes two of us. I have to skip out this year too for this little one."

Callie forced a small laugh.

"So I researched some of the best therapists in the area and I made a list. I'll give them to you later so you can look and choose one. I want you to maybe consider doing a group therapy with other victims too."

Callie flinched at the word victim. She hated that she was a victim it made her feel weak. She didn't want to see a therapist. She didn't want to rehash the details of what happened over and over again. A therapist wasn't going to change what happened. She didn't want to upset Lena though so she nodded her head. "Okay, I'll look them over."

A wide smile spread across Lena's lips. "Thank you."

 _Thanks for reading! Not my proudest chapter, but I hope you enjoyed. Review!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 10

The potent smell of bacon and freshly brewed coffee assaulted Callie's nostrils as she limped into the kitchen. Stef smiled at her and pulled out a chair for her. Callie forced a smile in return and slowly lowered herself onto the chair. She winced as Stef slid a plate of eggs in front of her. "Can I skip breakfast today? I'm kind of nauseous."

"Callie, you have a different excuse for every meal." Stef said with a sigh. "Please just eat."

Callie stared at the food with a look of disgust painted across her features. She reluctantly slid a spoonful of eggs in her mouth and forced herself to swallow. Her stomach was in knots. It had been since the night of the winter ball, which is why she never wanted to eat. She was also pretty sure morning sickness was contributing to it.

"Thank you." Stef whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Callie's head. "Are you sure about going back to school today?"

"I already took a week off and then Christmas break. The longer I stay home the worse it's going to be." Callie replied, pushing at her eggs with the fork.

"I'm working, but if you want to come home don't hesitate to call me or tell Mama and she'll call me and I'll pick you up and bring you home. We won't be mad." Stef was worried about Callie going back to school. She wasn't sure what the other kids at school knew, but Mariana had told her they knew something happened. Everyone heard about Vico's arrest and Callie's week absence occurred at the same time. The students had linked the two together and once they see Callie's bruises and casts their assumptions will be confirmed.

"I'll be fine." Callie insisted.

"We'll look out for her." Jesus said, shoving another piece of bacon into his mouth.

"Thanks." Stef smiled, patting her son on the shoulder.

"Car leaves in five minutes!" Lena shouted as she placed her mug in the dishwasher.

The kids scrambled to finish their breakfast, clean up, and grab their things for school. Callie finished her eggs and placed the dish in the dishwasher.

"I could have gotten that for you." Stef said.

"It's fine."

"We have the date for the DNA test. It's in three weeks. So once that is done the adoption should be on its way." Stef announced before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Okay."

Stef watched Callie with concern as the brunette started for the front door. Callie had been making progress; finally starting to open up to Stef and Lena, but her walls had gone back up after the incident at the winter ball. The only person Callie seemed to let her walls down around was Brandon, and Stef didn't know how to feel about that.

Callie hauled herself out of the car as it rolled to a stop. She swung her back pack over her shoulder, earning a concerned look from Jesus. "Do you want me to carry that for you? It's not too heavy is it?"

"No, it's fine. I've got it." Callie shook her head. It was pressing against the cut on her shoulder, but she refused to accept the help. She couldn't look weak at school and if she said the bag was hurting her somebody would follow her around all day to carry the bag for her. She didn't want to be babysat. "Thanks."

Lena rubbed Jesus's arm as they entered the school, happy at his offer. "I have a meeting after school. Jesus and Mariana are staying after for wrestling and dance, Brandon is going to take the car home, and Mom is picking me up after my meeting. Callie, you'll go home with Brandon?"

"I'm actually going to meet Daphne after school if that's okay."

"It's fine, I just don't want you walking there and then home. You need to rest that knee and ankle."

"I'll drive you and then go to the stores across the street until you're ready to go home." Brandon offered.

Callie hated that she needed someone to drive her; it made her felt weak. She didn't want to make Brandon go out of his way. "No, I don't want you to have to do that. I'll just tell her I'll meet her another time."

"No, it's fine really. I had to go to the store anyway. I want to."

Lena smiled. "Okay great, Brandon will take you. If you have any problems during the day let me know, and if you want to go home tell me."

Callie nodded before everyone dispersed their separate ways. She walked beside Brandon, trying to ignore the looks and whispers as people passed her. They stopped outside Callie's first class. "If you need anything just text me."

"Okay. Thanks." Callie said. She walked into the classroom and took a seat. The conversations between the students quieted as they gawked at Callie and whispered to one another. She felt like a monkey in a zoo and all she wanted to do was climb into a cave to hide. She jumped when she felt a large hand on her shoulder and whipped her head around to see who it was.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Wyatt said as he retracted his hand. He slipped into the seat beside her. "So are you going to tell me why you've been missing for weeks and have been barely answering my texts?"

"Wyatt…" Callie sighed. "I was…"

"Sick." He finished, an unconvinced look written across his face. "Yeah why do I have trouble believing that?"

"The slut decided to return to school." Talia snarled loudly as she entered the classroom, earning several snickers from the other students.

The comment felt like a stab to Callie's chest. She took a deep breath and remained quiet. She wasn't going to let Talia get to her.

"Talia." Wyatt warned.

Talia walked to the front of Callie's desk, folding her arms over her chest. "You're pathetic. You really are. Do you really have to go after every guy I'm involved with? First Brandon, then Wyatt, and now Vico."

Callie tensed at mention of Vico's name. She felt her chest begin to heave as her lungs screamed for oxygen. She could feel everyone's eyes burning her skin.

"We went to the winter ball together. I was supposed to win queen, but you stole that from me too. And did I hear that Vico was arrested? Did you screw him and then cry rape like you did with your foster brother? What was his name? Liam?"

Callie was trying so hard not to cry, but it was proving to be an impossible task. She was breathing hard now. She needed to leave. She needed to get away. She stood up quickly and started for the door.

"Aww poor baby." Talia mocked. "Watch out boys, she'll screw you and then claim you forced her into it when really she's nothing more than a pathetic whore."

Callie walked to the nearest bathroom as fast as her throbbing ankle would allow. She choked out a sob as she threw the stall door open. The bell screamed throughout the building. Callie mentally cursed herself for falling apart in front of everyone. Talia was right; she was pathetic.

She took in deep breaths, managing to avoid a full-blown panic attack. She wiped at her eyes furiously and stepped out of the stall, shaking her head as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her tears had washed away the makeup covering the fading bruises on her face.

Callie couldn't go back into that classroom. Especially now that she was late. The stares would be too much to handle right now. She walked down the hall to the stairs, climbing them slowly, and stopping outside the second door on the right. Her non injured hand reached out to turn the knob before she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Brandon whirled around from his seat on the piano bench at the click of the door. He met Callie's eyes. His features softened when he observed her dampened cheeks, puffy eyes, and hurt expression. He stood up and took a step towards her. "What happened?"

She let out a sob and collided into the arms that folded around her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, clinging to him like he was her lifeline. She buried her head in his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.

Brandon just held her, allowing her to fall apart as his fingers danced in her curls. He waited until her sobbing subsided before he spoke. "Callie, what happened?"

Callie lifted her head off Brandon's chest and sniffled. "Talia."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Of course. I'm going to kill her. What did she say?"

"It doesn't matter." Callie whispered. "Don't say anything to her, please. It's only going to make things worse. I already made things worse by running out of there."

"Okay, but don't listen to what she says. She's wrong." Brandon said, gently wiping her tears with the pad of his thumb. "Just hang out in here with me for the rest of the period."

* * *

Callie fiddled her fingers nervously as she sat at the table. She glanced up at the sound of approaching footsteps to find Daphne strolling towards the table. She pulled out the chair across from Callie and slipped into the seat. "Hey, how you holding up?"

Callie sighed. "Uh…I'm okay."

Daphne squinted her eyes at her friend. "You want to try that again?"

"What do you want me to say? I'm holding up…just barely." Callie said, taking a sip of the ginger ale before her.

"Rita keeps asking about you. She knows something happened she just doesn't know the extent. You should talk to her." Daphne suggested.

"I know. I will." Callie nodded. She looked at her friend hesitantly. "Were you nervous when you found out you were pregnant with Tasha?"

Daphne studied Callie with concerned eyes. "Of course I was. I think everyone is even if they planned it. Where is this coming from?"

"I'm pregnant." Callie whispered, casting her eyes down at her hands.

Silence fell between the two friends. Daphne let out a long breath. "Wow. Is it…"

"Yeah." Callie nodded sadly. "I haven't…you know…with anyone else."

"I don't know what to say. Does anyone else know?"

"Just Brandon." Callie stirred her drink with the straw, watching as the droplets of condensation splashed onto the wooden table. "I'm not ready to tell everyone else. Especially since Lena announced she was pregnant."

"Wow." Daphne said, raising her eyebrows. "Have you been to a doctor? Are you positive? Didn't they give you Plan B or something?"

"I got so sick after that. I threw up for hours and they couldn't repeat it because I was so dehydrated and risking my lung to collapse again." A shudder rain down Callie's spine as she recalled that horrible night in the hospital. "But yeah I'm pretty sure the three pregnancy tests confirm it."

"Have you thought about what you're going to do with the baby?"

"I'm not getting an abortion. I just can't personally do that. And I don't think I can do adoption either. Not after what I've been through in foster care. I mean even if I find a couple, who is to say they're who they say they are. Or what if something happens to them and the baby ends up in foster care? But I don't even know if I can handle raising a baby. And I'm still a foster kid. What's going to happen when they find out I'm pregnant? What if they pull me from the Fosters and throw me into a group home?" Callie rambled nervously.

"I don't know what the system will do when they find out you're pregnant, but I do know that the Fosters would not let you get taken. They wouldn't stop at anything to make sure you stay with them." Daphne said.

"Daphne, can you help the customer at the register?" A man called from the back.

Daphne pushed her chair back and walked to the register. A tall man with light grey hair stood at the counter patiently. He glanced at Callie every few seconds until Daphne appeared before him.

"How can I help you?"

"Can I have two vanilla milkshakes to go?" He asked, pulling his wallet out of his pants pocket.

Callie felt a wave of nausea at the potent smell of the fries cooking in the back. She glanced at her phone before standing. "Daphne, I think I'm going to head home. I'm not feeling too great. I'll come by on Friday again."

"Okay, hang in there." Daphne smiled softly

 _Thanks for reading! Review!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Callie scurried down the hall as fast as her injured ankle would allow. The pungent smell of antiseptic made her stomach churn. She hated this place; it brought up too many bad memories. She stopped outside a room and pushed the door open. A small gasp escaped her lips when her eyes found Brandon in the hospital bed. Hues of black and blue decorated the skin beneath his left eyes. His right hand was casted.

A smile found his face when he met Callie's eyes. "Hey, you made it. I guess Moms got in touch with you."

Callie closed the door behind her and walked to his bedside. "What happened? Stef said you were in a fight?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine."

"What happened?" Callie repeated. "Why were you in a fight?"

Brandon hesitated. "When I finished my piano practice, I stopped in the gym to give something to Jesus and uh one of the guys on the wrestling team was…saying stuff about you."

Callie closed her eyes for a moment. "Brandon…"

"I lost it and he kept going and before I knew it we were throwing punches at each other" Brandon explained. "It's really not that bad. I'm only here because he broke my hand."

Callie felt guilt churning in her stomach. She was the reason he was in a fight. "What about piano?"

Brandon shrugged. "Well I won't be playing until it's healed."

"You can't get into a fight every time someone says something bad about me." Callie said. "Who was it and what did he say?"

Brandon tore his eyes away from Callie. "It was Tommy Walker. It doesn't matter what he said."

"Brandon." Callie said with a slight warning in her voice. "What did he say?"

 _Brandon entered the gym clutching a folded piece of paper. His eyes scanned the group of wrestlers for his brother. He approached the group for a better look, but still didn't see him. He turned towards the locker room, but the voice of Tommy Walker caught his attention._

" _Yeah I saw Vico. He said juvie girl was begging for him to fuck her right there in the woods. He said she wanted it rough."_

 _Brandon spun back around towards the group, his fists clenched tightly by his side. "Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about."_

 _The group of guys turned to face Brandon. A smirk spread across Tommy's lips. "You must be banging her too. It must be nice to have your booty call in the next room."_

" _Hey, don't talk about her. Vico's a lying piece of shit." Brandon growled through clenched teeth. His nostrils flared as he took a step closer to Tommy._

" _Woah, calm down. You can't expect a girl like that to be contained. You gotta learn to share her." Tommy said, earning nods of approval from his friends. His smirk widened. "Especially since Vico said she looks good on her knees. Says her mouth is…"_

 _Something erupted inside of Brandon. He didn't let Tommy finish his sentence. He pulled his arm back and swung his fist at his face._

Callie closed her eyes for a moment. She hated that Vico got away with doing things like this. She hated that everyone was taking his word. She hated that people thought of her that way.

Brandon watched her worriedly. He noticed her demeanor change as he recounted the events. He could tell she was facing a battle in her head. "Are you okay?"

Callie met his eyes and ignored the question. "Can you please promise me that you won't get into any more fights? I have enough to worry about. I can't worry about you getting hurt too."

"I'm sorry. I won't, I promise. It was a one-time thing." Brandon said before reaching his healthy arm out towards her. "Come here."

Callie walked to the edge of the bed. "Where are Moms?"

"They were talking to the doctor and then getting a snack." He reached out for her hand and reached up towards her. She leaned down and their lips connected. Brandon pointed to the splint on Callie's wrist. "We match now."

A chuckle escaped Callie's lips. "Were you jealous?"

"Definitely." Brandon laughed

* * *

Stef sighed before taking a sip of her coffee. She walked down the hospital halls with her wife besides her. "I never want to be in this hospital again."

"Well you're going to be when this one is born." Lena said as she rested a hand on her slightly swollen stomach.

"That's different. We'll be in the maternity ward." Stef said. "I never want to be in this emergency room or ICU again. I don't know how much more bad news I can take."

Lena cringed. "Can I give you one more piece of bad news before you decide that?"

Stef halted to a stop and turned to her wife. "What is it?"

"Timothy won't sign the contract papers." Lena blurted out; her eyes searched Stef's face for a reaction.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Stef's eyes grew wide.

"Apparently, he didn't fully understand it until it was on paper."

Stef inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay, okay, we will figure this out."

"With any luck, he'll change his mind." Lena said.

Stef scoffed as they continued down the hall. "The only luck we have right now is bad."

Lena pursed her lips as the two stopped outside a room. Stef turned the knob and pushed the door open. The two women found Callie sitting in a chair beside Brandon's bed. Lena smiled at the two. "Callie, you made it. We told Mariana and Jesus to just go home so someone is there when Jude gets home."

"Plus, we wanted to talk to you, Callie." Stef said before taking a sip of her coffee.

Callie shifted in the chair. Her stomach knotted and her heart sped up. Did they find out about her and Brandon? Did they find out about the pregnancy? She met her foster mothers' eyes. "What's up?"

"Brandon implied that this wasn't the first time that someone has said something like this." Stef said, noting the way Callie's body seemed to have tensed.

Callie chewed on her bottom lip. She looked at Brandon, who offered her an apologetic expression. "No, it wasn't, but…"

"Who else is saying things about you? Lena asked softly.

Callie scoffed. "The entire school."

Stef and Lena exchanged glanced. Lena frowned. She was the vice principle; current head principle until the school found a replacement for Sanchez. She's supposed to know when bullying what occurring in the school. "What are they saying? Are they talking directly to you?"

Callie took interest in her hands. She didn't want to have this conversation. "To me and to other people."

"What are they saying?" Stef repeated.

"Does it matter? You heard what they said to Brandon." Callie swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"Yes, this matters." Stef's voice grew stern. "What do they say?"

"V-Vico told his friends a different story than what happened and they believed him and told everyone else. So now everyone thinks I hooked up with him and then accused him of…" Her voice trailed off unable to bring herself to say the word.

Stef took a deep breath. She had a feeling this was more serious than Callie was letting on. "Are they calling you names?"

"Yeah that's what most people do or just make…sexual comments."

"Most?" Stef questioned.

She said too much and now she knew she wasn't escaping this. She felt Brandon's eyes searching her; he knew people were saying things to her and behind her back, but that was all he knew.

"The guys on the wrestling team are um…persistent. Some of them are mad that I got Vico in trouble and the others think that because of what happened with Vico that they can…do what they want."

Stef burrowed her eyebrows as she tried to read what Callie was saying. Uneasiness grew in her stomach; the young brunette was implying things she was hoping weren't true. "What do you mean they think they can do what they want?"

Callie blinked back tears. "I guess Vico told them he'd…share me so they're persistent with asking for…sexual favors."

Brandon's nostrils flared as he clenched his uninjured fist. "What? Who?"

"Has anybody touched you?" Stef asked cautiously. Callie's hesitation made her stomach flip. "Callie…"

"It's not a big deal." Her voice betrayed her, cracking midsentence. "It's nothing serious, they've just grabbed me or cornered me. A few grabbed by butt, but that's it."

Lena closed her eyes for a moment. She couldn't believe this was happening in her school and she was blind to it. "Callie, that is a big deal."

"A few? Who? I'm going to beat…"

"Brandon." Stef interjected with a warning tone. She understood her son's fury, but he needed to stay calm. "Callie, what is happening is not okay. This is sexual harassment and assault. Touching you against your will is assault."

"It's not like it's anything new." Callie whispered.

Stef's heart shattered at Callie's words. "Love, I know you have been hurt by so many people in so many ways and most of your life people have gone unpunished, but this has never been and will never be okay."

"Yes, this will not be going on any further. The wrestling team will be punished and…"

"No!" Callie shouted, her eyes growing wide with panic. "That'll just make things worse and they're not the only ones. The whole school thinks I'm a slut and they're not wrong."

Lena burrowed her eyebrows at the girl before her. "Callie, you are no such thing."

"Really?" Callie shot back, her eyes blurring with unshed tears. "Everybody seems to think I asked for it and maybe they're right. I must have done something to make them do this."

Brandon closed his eyes, running his healthy hand over his face. She was blaming herself for what happened. She was blaming herself when she should have been blaming him. He was the one who sold fake IDs with Vico. He was the one who made Vico angry. He was the one Vico wanted to hurt. He was the one who made Callie suffer.

Stef walked to the chair Callie was sitting in and knelt down before her. She reached out to take the teenager's hands in her own. "Love, you did not do _anything_ to make them do this. What happened is not your fault in any way. It is nobody's fault but Vico and Liam's."

A tear escaped Callie's eye. She felt like it was her fault. The world kept playing one cruel trick after another on her and she couldn't help but think she had to be doing something to cause it. She hated herself for listening to Vico that night and going down to the water. How could she be so stupid to have actually believed Vico was helping her and Mariana after the alcohol stunt? She hated that she wasn't able to fight Liam off before he dragged her into the woods. She didn't believe Stef's words, but she nodded her head because she didn't want to get into this here and now. "Okay."

 _So sorry for the delay! This semester has been kicking my butt and although I have a lot of this story written, this chapter needed work. Still not too happy with this chapter, but I wanted to get something out to you guys. Review!_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Callie slipped into the chair across from Daphne. She pushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm late. I got stuck at the stupid DNA test."

"That's okay. I had to take care of vanilla milkshake." Daphne nodded her head towards the well-dressed man a few tables down. He slurped on his vanilla milkshake while his eyes scanned the newspaper before him. "I think he likes you. He's here every time you are and he's always looking at you."

Callie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah okay."

"How'd the test go? Did you see your dad?"

Callie shook her head. "No, he didn't show."

"He didn't?"

Callie shook her head again. She didn't want to see him at first; she didn't want anything to do with him. But curiosity had gotten the best of her. She just wanted to see who he was, what he looked like. He was her father. He was her blood. He had forced her to come - to even think about this- and then he didn't even show; it felt demoralizing. "Nope. They said he'd just have to deal with the tests being done separately.

"That sucks." Daphne frowned. She noted the exhaustion on her friend's face. "So how come you look like you haven't slept in weeks?"

"Because I haven't for two months." Callie sighed. "Nightmares, pain, and stress don't make a good sleep medicine."

"You need sleep and you need to keep your stress levels low for the baby." Daphne whispered. "Have you told anyone else yet?"

Callie shook her head. "Nope. I can't bring myself to do it."

"Cal, you have to let them know."

"I know, I know. I just, every time I try the words don't come out." Callie had made the attempt to tell Stef and Lena multiple times, but failed. Her anxiety usually won the battle or she was reminded that Lena was pregnant too. Everyone was so excited for Lena to have the baby and she felt like she was going to ruin that. She feared their feelings towards the baby; feared that they wouldn't get passed the fact that the baby was conceived from something so awful.

"You're eventually going to be too big to be able to hide it under baggy clothes." Daphne said. She glanced at the man who was slurping his practically empty shake. "Would you like another milkshake, sir?"

"Uh…yes, I will. To go, please. Thank you." He smiled. Daphne stood, took his cup, and moved to the back.

"You know, the place down the street has the best milkshakes; the one in the strip mall." Callie said to the man.

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Are you trying to take business away from your friend?"

"I'm just being honest." Callie laughed with a shrug.

"So how come you don't work here? You seem to be here pretty often?"

Callie's face faltered for a moment, but it went unnoticed by the man. She wanted to work here, especially now that she was pregnant and would need to support a baby, but Stef and Lena would not allow her to get a job. They said she needed to heal and focus on getting better. "Uh…my moms just want me to focus on school right now."

"Moms?" He asked curiously.

"Yup." Callie nodded firmly.

"Cool."

"Yeah, it is." She said as Daphne returned to the register with a vanilla milkshake.

Robert smiled at Callie and stood. He walked to the register and pulled out his wallet to pay Daphne. He took the change from Daphne, slipped it in his wallet, and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. He dropped it in the cup full of tips and quickly left, glancing at Callie on his way out.

Daphne's eyes widened as she pulled out the hundred-dollar bill. She held the bill on display for her friend. "You better be here every time he is if he's giving these kinds of tips."

Callie rolled her eyes at her friend. She glanced at the time on her phone, letting out a groan. "Ugh Stef and Lena want me home. They probably want to talk about what happened."

Daphne smiled sympathetically. "Good luck. Keep me posted."

* * *

Callie sat on her bed with her laptop before her. He stared at the word document with only one sentence written on the screen. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she inhaled deeply. She couldn't focus on writing her paper. She had too many other thoughts and worries bouncing around her mind. She bit down on her lower lip as she minimized the document and opened Google. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She hesitated, but typed in Robert Quinn, San Diego in the search engine. She froze when her eyes landed on the familiar face on her screen. Robert Quinn was the man that had been at Daphne's job; the man that had been hanging around every time she was there, watching her, and leaving huge tips.

She felt her chest tightening. Another bombshell; another thing she didn't see coming. She stared at the picture, trying to process it. What did he want? Why was he watching her? He talked to her at the restaurant and yet didn't show up to the DNA test. She slammed her laptop shut. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples. Her head pounded. She just wanted the thoughts to stop.

"Are you okay?"

Callie shot her eyes open to find Mariana entering the room. She nodded her head. "I just have a headache."

"So is it true? Did he really not show up to the test?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah, he never showed up."

"I'm sorry." Mariana frowned as she grabbed her laptop. She plopped down on her bed. "Birth parents suck."

Callie chuckled softly. "Yeah they really do."

"Well it's his loss."

Callie forced a smile at her foster sister. She didn't find truth in her words. Her father was probably better off not knowing her. She had too much baggage; baggage that would only bring him problems.

* * *

Callie walked towards the entrance of the Burger Stand. She froze in her tracks when she spotted the familiar face of the man slurping a vanilla milkshake; the face that showed up on her computer screen last night. She stormed over to his table.

"What do you think hanging around here is going to do?" She asked furiously. "I know who you are you're Robert Quinn."

Robert looked up at the young brunette.

"I Googled you, when you didn't show." Callie spat bitterly.

Robert stood, raising his hand in defense. "Okay look, I'm sorry."

"No, I took your DNA test. Alright, what else do you want from me?" She looked at him with a clenched jaw.

Robert paused for a moment. "Five minutes."

Callie hesitated. She was furious and she didn't feel comfortable around him, but part of her wanted to hear what he had to say. So she took a seat in the chair across from him. He sat back down in his seat as well.

"So what, you've been stalking me?" Callie asked angrily.

"I just wanted to see you." He explained. "I mean if I wanted the best vanilla shakes I would have went down the street, right?"

Callie stared at him coldly, unamused by his joke. Did he seriously think he could crack a joke right now?

Robert's smile fell. "Sorry. Look, you should know I didn't want to put you through that test, okay? It's my family's lawyers, they insisted on it…"

"I don't want your money." Callie shook her head. "I want your signature on a piece of paper."

"As soon as I saw you, I knew there was no need for a DNA test. You're my daughter." Robert said. "I know this is really, really confusing, okay, I get it. But you need to understand that before I was served those papers I had no idea you even existed."

"No." Callie shook her head in disagreement. "No, my dad, Donald, he told me that you left after you found out that Mom was pregnant."

"No. Look I never should have left your mom. That's the worst mistake of my life. But I swear, I did not know she was pregnant. I loved your mom a lot."

Callie stared at the man before her trying to figure out if she believed him or not. This was too much to process right now.

Robert pulled out an envelope. "Look I brought you something."

Callie watched him slide it across the table towards her.

"Just read it when you have the time."

Callie glanced at the envelope before returning her eyes to Robert. She grabbed the envelope and stood abruptly. "I have to go."

Callie walked into the Burger Stand with tears welled in her eyes. She saw her friend at the counter and walked over to her. "He's my father."

Daphne looked up from the register to find her friend with a distressed look across her face. She swung around the counter and sat down at the empty table nearby, gesturing for Callie to do the same. "Who is your father?"

"The milkshake guy. I googled him when he didn't show to the DNA test." Callie explained. "I just confronted him. He apparently didn't know my mom was pregnant."

Daphne's eyes widened slightly. It made sense; the man had seemed fascinated with Callie. "Wow."

"I don't…I don't even know what to think right now." Callie whispered as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm so tired of all these bombs being dropped."

"What does he want?"

Callie shook her head as she blinked back tears. She placed her hand over her stomach as a wave of nausea hit her. "I don't know. I don't think I want to know."

"I'm sure it'll all work out." Daphne smiled sadly.

Callie remained silent. She didn't believe it would all work out; it never did.

 _Thanks for reading! Not a fan of this chapter either, but just some things that needed to be covered. Better chapters coming-I promise! Hope you enjoyed anyway._

 _Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving! Review!_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Callie tugged on the sleeves of her shirt as she heard approaching footsteps behind the closed door. The doorknob twisted with a click before the door swung open. The woman in the doorway's face contorted into shock as her eyes met Callie's.

"Callie, what's going on? How are you?" Rita asked. She stepped aside and waved her hand towards the house. "Come in."

Callie stepped into the house hesitantly, watching as Rita shut the door behind her. "I'm sorry to drop by without calling."

"No, you know you are always welcome." Rita said as she led Callie towards the couches. "Can I get you something?"

Callie shook her head as she took a seat on the couch. "No, I'm okay, thanks."

Rita took a seat in the chair across from Callie. "So what's going on? I haven't heard from you in a while. Daphne told me something happened, but won't tell me anything else."

"I uh…" Callie chewed on her bottom lip. "I was…attacked."

Rita frowned and her shoulders dropped. She was hoping the injuries and scars she saw on the young brunette weren't from a person. "Callie…what happened?"

"Um…there was a winter ball at our school back in December." Callie took a deep breath. "Th-this guy Vico…he um…he had a grudge against Brandon. He met Liam at a party and they were both seeking revenge."

"Liam? As in your old foster brother?" Rita's eyebrows scrunched together. She didn't like where this story was headed.

Callie blinked back tears as she nodded her head. She glanced down at her fumbling hands. "Vico wanted revenge on Brandon and knew the best way to do that was to hurt me. Liam wanted revenge on me for opening my mouth."

Rita waited a moment for Callie to continue, but she remained quiet, struggling to find her words. "What did they do?"

Callie swallowed thickly as tears glistened in her eyes. "They uh dragged me to the woods and beat me up pretty bad and…f-forced me to…you know…"

Rita tried to hide the devastation from her face. She didn't understand why the young girl before her couldn't catch a break. "I think I do know, Callie, but I think you need to say it aloud."

Callie shook her head, tears blurring her vision. She hadn't said that word since the Winter Ball. Somehow admitting it aloud made it seem too real. "No, I can't."

Rita reached forward and took Callie's hand in her own. "Callie, look at me. You have to say it. Admitting what happened aloud is the first step in getting passed it."

"They uh…they both..." Callie's lower lip trembled as she searched to form words. Her face flushed; she felt hot and cold at the same time. She paused for a moment, taking interest in a spot on the rug. "They raped me."

A sob ripped through Callie's throat. Rita moved to sit on the couch beside Callie. She pulled Callie into her arms and rubbed her back gently. "You're going to be okay."

Callie pulled out of Rita's arms and shook her head. "I'm pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

Callie lifted her baggy shirt, revealing the small, round bump; it was small, but prominent on her thin frame. "I'm pretty sure this confirms it if the three pregnancy tests didn't. I should be about 12 weeks."

"Should be? Have you been to a doctor?"

Callie bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. "No. I…I haven't told Stef and Lena yet. Brandon and Daphne are the only ones who know. Lena is pregnant too. She's only three weeks further than me."

Rita inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to process all of this. "Callie, you have to tell them and you have to go to a doctor."

"I know, I know, I just can't handle anything more. And I don't know how Stef and Lena are going to react or what'll happen when the social worker finds out. There's already so many of us in that house and now Lena's having a baby. I want to keep my baby but they may not be supportive of that and if they pull me…."

"Callie." Rita interjected the brunette's frantic ramble. "I can't tell you how they're going to react, but I can assure you they're not going to love you any less or kick you. What going on with the adoption?"

"Donald isn't my real dad. This guy Robert Quinn is so my adoption never went through. He wanted a DNA test for proof, or his family lawyers did according to him. He- he was watching me when I'd meet Daphne at work and then he didn't show for the test and I googled him and confronted him. He gave me this letter than I didn't open till last week, which is from the half-sister I just found out I have. I didn't want anything to do with Robert, but now…" Callie's voice trailed off.

"Do you want to meet you half-sister?"

"Yeah, I mean she's my _sister_ , but I just…I feel like I can't handle opening anymore doors. There's too much going on and I can't…I can't do it anymore." A new batch of tears erupted from Callie's eyes.

"Hey, it's hard right now, but you are strong. You'll get through it. But you like to keep things bottled in and you can't do that. Talk out what you're feeling."

Callie met Rita's eyes. "I feel terrified. Vico's out on bail and I feel on edge all the time just waiting for him to come after me."

"He's out on bail?" Rita asked. It was like the world was experimenting with Callie on how much one person could handle.

Callie nodded and laughed humorlessly. "It doesn't matter that he nearly beat me to death. His family is loaded."

"But there has to be circumstances behind it like house arrest or something. If he came after you, he'd be in even bigger trouble."

"He can't come within 15 feet of me and he has to wear an anklet, but he left me in the woods in the middle of the night beaten to a pulp, do you really think he cares about getting in trouble? He wanted revenge on Brandon because he told on him about selling fake IDs. I got him _arrested_ so I'm sure he wants me dead." Callie choked out.

"First of all, you didn't get him arrested, he got himself arrested. And he is being tracked where he is at all times. If he comes near your house or probably your school that alarm is going to go off." Rita said. "But it's okay, it's normal, to be scared. You were severely hurt."

"Everyone keeps telling me that they'll pay and be locked up, but I can't help but feel like they're going to get away with it." Callie reached up to tug at the necklace resting on her chest.

"There has to be a ton of evidence against them. You said they beat you up badly, did you go to a hospital? Did you have a rape kit done?" Rita asked, noting the way Callie flinched at the word rape.

"Yeah they did one in the emergency room. I was in the hospital for a week." Callie said. "Everyone keeps telling me there's a ton of evidence, but I feel like it doesn't mean anything. Evidence hasn't meant anything in the past when Jude and I were being hit in our foster homes."

"I know justice hasn't been given to you in the past and that things haven't gone your way, but you have to trust this. You have people fighting for you this time." Rita said. She glanced at Callie's stomach, covered by a baggy shirt. "So you've decided your keeping the baby?"

Callie burrowed her eyebrows at the slight disapproval in Rita's voice. "Yes, I am."

"Have you explored your other options?"

"Yes, I have." Callie said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I can't personally bring myself to get an abortion, which it's probably too late for anyway, and after everything I've been through, I'm not giving my child to someone else. I already love this baby."

"I understand, but do you know how much it takes to raise of baby? You are only sixteen."

Callie narrowed her eyes at Rita. "I know it's difficult to raise a baby, but nothing about my life has been easy. I may be sixteen, but I was forced to grow up at the age of ten when I had to _raise my brother_ for six years."

"What about finishing high school? Going to college? Starting a career?"

Callie swallowed thickly. Her heart race increased and she wasn't sure if it was due to anxiety or anger. She felt like Rita was attacking her. "Those things can still happen. It may have to be pushed off, but I can still finish school and start a career. I'm not asking you to agree with my decision, but a little support would be nice."

Rita's features softened at Callie's words. "I'm sorry. I've just seen so many girls get pregnant and keep the baby and then the father doesn't stick around to help and their lives fall off the track again."

"I'm not one of those girls! This wasn't a mistake I made. I didn't have the choice to have sex. I didn't have the choice to use protection. I didn't have the choice to get pregnant." Callie closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from falling.

"You're right." Rita nodded. "You're not one of those girls. I have no doubt in my mind that you are capable of doing this. I'm sorry, I don't want you to think that I'm not supportive or that I think you're making a wrong choice. That wasn't my intention. I just…I wanted to make sure you fully thought this through. This is something you do have a choice in."

Callie scoffed. "Even this choice feels forced."

Rita frowned. The despair, exhaustion, and anxiety were evident in Callie's eyes. The pain the young girl had endured was immeasurable. "I can't tell you what will happen or that everything will be okay, but what I can tell you is that you will get through this and I truly believe that. I wouldn't say that about anyone. I've dealt with many girls who haven't even been through half of what you have and I wouldn't say it for them. You haven't caught a break for the past six years, but you keep bouncing back. You are the strongest person I know. So don't give up and don't fall into bad habits."

Callie tugged on the sleeves of her shirt. She didn't _feel_ strong; she felt weak. She couldn't sleep at night, she could barely get through the day without at least one meltdown, she flinched every time someone touched her or she heard an unexpected noise, and she was constantly on edge. She felt as though she was barely holding it together. She remained silent though; she didn't want to talk about this anymore and she knew if she told Rita she felt weak it would open a can of worms. She was too emotionally exhausted.

 _Thanks for reading! The semester is finally over so more time for writing. Review!_

 _Merry Christmas!_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Callie slipped into Brandon's room and closed the door behind her. He peeled his eyes off his computer screen and turned in his chair. A smile stretched across his lips when his eyes met hers. "Hey, how did it go at your dad's?"

She smiled back at him as she strolled towards his bed and took a seat. "Good. Sophia is really sweet. I think we have plans to go shopping."

"That's awesome. Nobody else is home?" Brandon asked as he shifted in his chair so he was facing Callie. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips after Callie shook her head. He reached out to take Callie's hand in his own. He intertwined their fingers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It was so much easier when nobody else was home. The two of them feared getting caught stealing a kiss or holding each other's hand when the others were home.

"So how's the hand?" She asked, looking at his brace free hand.

"I have ninety five percent function." He said quietly.

"That's good, right?" She asked. "Have your tried playing?"

Brandon nodded, a defeated expression painted across his features. "I need a hundred percent function to play classical, but when I mentioned getting the surgery to Mom, she shut it down right away."

Callie frowned. "Can't the surgery cause more damage?"

"Yeah, but there's also a chance it can completely fix it."

"Isn't that a big risk though?" Callie asked.

"Playing classical is me. It's my talent. It defines me. Who am I if I can't play?" Brandon shifted on the bench so he was facing Callie. Tears welled in his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he felt Callie squeeze his hand gently.

"Brandon, you are so much more than a piano player." Callie stood and leaned before Brandon to wrap her arms around him. She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek as the tears began to tumble down his cheeks. "I know playing classical is so important to you, but that is just part of you. And if you can't play classical, that doesn't mean you have to give up on music."

"It's just…classical was my dream, my future and now I feel like it's crushed." Brandon closed his eyes for a moment to stop the tears from falling. He felt guilty for crying in front of her. This wasn't something she needed to deal with. He wrapped his arm around Callie's waist and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't…you don't need this from me."

Callie rested her hand on his cheek as she looked into his eyes. "Hey, don't apologize. I don't want you to feel like you can't be upset or cry or talk about your problems with me. I'm here for you."

"I know you are, but you're going through a lot right now and what's happening with me isn't as bad as…"

"No." Callie interjected. "Don't do that. What's happening with you is hard and you have every right to be upset, okay? I don't care what I'm dealing with, I want you to be honest with me and let me know what you're feeling. It's going to hurt me more if you don't come to me about something because you don't want to be a burden, okay?"

"Okay." Brandon nodded before leaning forward and landing his lips on hers. Callie's hand snaked around his neck as she deepened the kiss. She wanted to live in this moment forever. She wanted to be in his safe arms forever. All her problems seemed to dissipate when he was holding her with their lips connected.

"Don't give up on your dreams, okay? It may just take some time to get back into classical and even still you can explore other music. I mean you're obviously an amazing song writer as Outlaws is a perfect example of that." Callie smirked, a small giggle escaping her lips.

"I miss that laugh." He smiled, leaning in to peck her lips once again. "But I still want the surgery."

"Just promise me you'll think about it before you make a final decision?" Callie asked. She smiled after Brandon nodded. "I'm a little jealous you got your brace off first."

Brandon chuckled, although part of him was disgusted by the fact. Callie having to wear her wrist brace longer was just a reminder of how much damage Vico and Liam did to her. He had his hand broken defending himself in a fight over a month after she had her wrist broken and yet she was the one still dealing with complications. It made Brandon sick to think about they must have put her through. She had to fight against a wrestler and a guy easily twice her size.

Callie moved to stand, but Brandon pulled her back onto his lap. "Where are you going?"

"I'm probably crushing you." She laughed before resting her hand on her stomach. "This little one is starting to get big."

Brandon grinned as he placed a hand over hers on her stomach. "You're not crushing me at all. But I do see this little bump and it's very cute."

Callie closed her eyes for a moment. "It's going to start getting hard to hide. I know I have to tell Stef and Lena soon, but I'm scared."

"You tell them when you're ready." He said before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "So it went well today?"

"Yeah for the most part. Although I'm pretty sure they think I'm crazy." Callie sighed as she pointed to the splint on her wrist and brace on her ankle. "I don't think they believed that I was just in an accident. Probably from these stupid bite mark scars and scratches."

Brandon watched Callie's fingers trace over the scars on her neck and chest. An image of Vico biting Callie's neck as he pinned her down flashed through his mind. Nausea bubbled in his stomach and he tried to shake the image from his mind. "Since when do you care what people think about you?"

"I know I act like I don't care and I guess to a certain degree I don't, but I'm just tired of being seen as the crazy, dangerous foster girl." Callie pressed her lips together as she glanced away from Brandon.

Brandon smiled sadly. He was glad she was opening up. She must have been labeled as someone she wasn't for six years and he couldn't imagine how frustrating that felt. He brushed her curls behind her ears. "You're not that girl though and if they don't want to stick around to see passed that label, then they're not worth it. It doesn't take that long to see how amazing you are. You're pretty easy to fall in love with."

A smile found Callie's lips. "You're biased."

"Maybe." Brandon shrugged with a grin. "But Moms and the twins fell for you pretty easily too."

"I just…" Callie paused as she searched for her words. "I don't know. I'm tired of explaining things to people and I don't want to tell them what happened."

"You don't have to." Brandon replied. He glanced at her injured wrist and ankle. "You haven't really told anyone what really happened besides the fact that they…attacked you."

Callie looked away. "I'm…I'm not ready to talk about what happened."

"Okay, that's fine." Brandon nodded. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss to the top of her hand. "Just know that I'm here when you are ready."

* * *

Callie knocked on Brandon's door before stepping inside. "Hey, are you doing anything tonight?"

Brandon peeled his eyes off his laptop to look at Callie. "No. Why?"

"Jesus and Emma are going to see her friend's band and Mariana and I want to go, but we need a ride so we want you to come with us."

"Wow, I feel so wanted. You're using me for my driver's license." Brandon smirked.

Callie laughed. "I want you there, you know that."

Brandon smiled. He was glad Callie was going out. She hadn't really gone anywhere except for the school, the burger stand, and the doctor's office since the winter ball. "Yes, I'll come. But only because you want me there because I don't want to spend my Saturday listening to some crappy high school band."

"Because sitting home doing homework is so much better." Callie chuckled sarcastically, turning to leave the room. "We're leaving at eight, okay?"

Brandon nodded and watched as Callie treaded down the hall.

* * *

Brandon, Callie, and Mariana entered the crowded, spotting Emma and Jesus. Mariana bounced over to the couple and greeted them enthusiastically.

Emma began pushing a table next to another. "Here, help me push these two tables together."

Callie moved to help, but Brandon quickly stepped in front. Between her injuries and her pregnancy, he didn't want her moving the table. "I got it. Your wrist is still healing."

Callie let out a frustrated sigh. She was tired of feeling helpless. She hopped onto the stool, in between Mariana and Brandon. She felt her heart rate increase as a dark-haired male approached the table.

"Emma."

Emma spun around and threw her arms around him. "Oh hey!"

"You brought a posse, nice." He smiled before extending his hand to Brandon. "Hey man."

"Hey, this is your band?" Brandon asked, shaking his hand.

Callie watched the exchange, feeling more comfortable that Brandon seemed friendly with him.

"Yeah, it's me, Jasper, and my cousin Lou." Mat replied. He pointed towards Brandon's hand. "Hey, is your hand doing okay?"

"It's not exactly where I want it, but with one more surgery hopefully it'll be back to normal."

Callie glanced at Brandon, pursing her lips. He was so stubborn.

"Good." Mat nodded. "Okay well we're on soon. I hope you guys enjoy, I'll see you later."

"Good luck!" Brandon shouted as Mat started for the stage.

"So Emma, how do you know Mat?" Mariana asked casually.

Callie laughed. "I think what she's trying to ask is, does he have a girlfriend?"

Jesus smirked and nodded in agreement. "That's definitely what she's trying to ask."

"I am not." Mariana defended, but the smile that stretched her lips said otherwise.

Everyone's attention turned towards the stage as a short girl with dark, long hair cascading down her back in gentle waves spoke into the microphone.

Mariana burrowed her eyebrows as she looked back at Emma. "Lou?"

"Lucy." Emma nodded.

Lou introduced the band before the music began and she started singing into the microphone. Callie exchanged glances with Mariana as they both noticed Brandon's hand tapping to the beat of the songs.

After Someone's Little Sister finished their performance, Mariana began to show Emma some of the dance moves from the dance team. Jesus sat at the table watching in amusement while Callie and Brandon stood in the corner.

"I know what you're doing." Brandon told Callie.

"What?" She asked innocently. "I'm just hanging out with my family, listening to some music."

The two were interrupted when Mat returned to their table. Emma hugged him, complimenting the band's performance. She looked at Jesus and grabbed his hand. "It was amazing, but we have to go."

"We do?" Jesus asked slightly startled. He glared at his sister as she made a whipping sound before nodding at his girlfriend. "We do."

Jesus and Emma disappeared into the crowd as they started towards the exit. Mat pointed at Brandon. "What did you think?"

"I thought it was really good." Brandon said, nodding his head.

"C'mon, you're a musician. You actually know what you're talking about. Bring it."

"Uh, okay um…" Brandon started hesitantly. "Well your energy was really good, the songs are good, but I don't know…I don't think they were being…articulated as well as they could be, I guess."

"I know we're not as tight as middle school honors band." Mat said, causing Brandon to laugh.

"Wait, you guys used to play together?" Callie asked, glancing back and forth between Brandon and Mat.

Brandon nodded. "Yeah in seventh grade."

"Well then you know Brandon is a seriously great pianist." Callie said before looking towards Mariana to continue.

"Like seriously great." Mariana added. "Like even when I'm sick of him practicing the same thing over and over again that I think if I hear it one more time, I might puncture my own ear drums, I can step back and recognize that it's actually pretty amazing."

Mat smirked at Mariana's dramatic compliment. "Oh I remember he's super good."

"Yeah and he writes too." Callie added, earning a confused look from Brandon.

"We could use your help with something actually," Mat said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

Brandon seemed almost embarrassed. "Oh no I don't think…"

"Chiming up the sound, maybe getting a few of our songs charted." Mat interjected.

The singer of the band appeared behind Mat, joining in on the conversation. "So what? We can play the same stale version every time?"

"Well you know, that's only how it starts. Once you know it, you can really play around. Unless you guys like the fact that most of the time you guys sound like you're rehearsing."

Lou scoffed and glared at Brandon. "You're welcome to not attend our shows if you don't like what we do."

"No, he didn't mean um…" Callie interjected in attempt to ease Brandon's insult. "He's a musician too. Classical."

"Well maybe you're just a little too…buttoned up to get what we're about." Lou said bitterly, her eyes glancing over his body. She turned and walked away, clearly annoyed by Brandon's comment.

"Wow, she's…" Mariana started.

"Intense yeah." Mat finished. "And I have about thirty seconds to follow her before she quits the band. Again. Dude, you have to come jam with us some time."

"I don't think it's my thing. It's definitely not her thing." Brandon nodded his head towards Lou.

"Just think about it." Mat said, taking a few steps backwards. "We could probably use a little buttoning up."

Mariana turned towards Brandon with a grin stretched across her lips. Callie felt a small smile find her own lips at the success of her plan. Now they just had to convince Brandon to take the opportunity.

 _Thanks for reading! As you can tell, some of this is words/scenes from the Fosters as in previous chapters. Just want to make it known that I don't own those parts. As I'm sure you've all heard, the Fosters is sadly coming to an end. It hasn't been the same since season 3, but I definitely do not want it to end. I have high hopes for the spin off though and my fingers are crossed that Brandon and Callie will end up together for the end of the series (although not sure if that's really going to happen) Anyway, hope you enjoyed! We're getting close to Stef and Lena finding out about the pregnancy- I promise!_

 _Review!_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Callie walked into the house to hear a lively melody playing throughout the house. A small smile sprouted on her lips as she climbed the stairs. The music grew louder as she approached Brandon's room and stepped inside quietly. He sat on the bench before his keyboard, playing along to a recording from the band. Callie closed the door quietly and sat on the chair by Brandon's keyboard.

His fingers stopped moving when he saw her and he paused the recording. He turned on the bench to face her with a smile. "Hey, I didn't hear you come home."

"I just got home a few minutes ago. Stef and Lena were on their way out for the baby moon so I had to convince them for ten minutes that I'd be okay."

Brandon laughed. "Yeah they were starting to think it was a bad idea to leave with everything going on especially without grandma coming."

"Yeah well them being here isn't going to change anything. And they need this baby moon, especially once they realize there's going to be two babies." Callie pursed her lips. "Plus, them being gone makes it a little easier for us to be together."

Brandon smiled before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers. "How was your dad's?"

"Good. He told me he signed the papers, but it'll be another two weeks before they get here because they have to be processed by his lawyers or something. So, I guess we have to tell Stef and Lena about us before then." Callie bit her lower lip.

"Okay." Brandon nodded again. His thumb gently stroked the top of her hand. "And your positive you're okay without the piece of paper?"

"Yes." She smiled. "There's no turning back now. I think we both know we can't just be friends. And as long as they don't kick me out after we tell them, I'll still be a part of this family with or without a piece of paper."

"They're not going to kick you out. They may be mad, but they would never kick you out." He said. He opened his mouth to ask her a question, but his words escaped his mind when Callie jumped slightly and her eyes widened. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I think the baby just kicked." She whispered, sliding her hand onto her growing stomach. A small flutter was felt beneath her hand. "The baby is kicking."

Brandon watched as Callie took his hand and placed it on her stomach. The movement was small, but it was there. It felt surreal. There was actually a baby growing inside of Callie. "Wow…that's amazing."

"I'm going to make an appointment at the doctors. Will you come with me?" She asked nervously.

"Of course." He pushed a curl behind her ear. "When are you going to tell Moms?"

"Soon. After the doctor appointment." Callie said. She looked at him hesitantly. "Is it weird that I love this baby already?"

"No, that's not weird. It's your baby. It's half of you. And you have a pretty big and loving heart." Brandon smiled.

Callie's face contorted into worry. "What's going to happen with us after I have the baby?"

"Callie, I am still going to be here for you even after the baby." Brandon's voice was soft and sincere as he gently placed is hand on her stomach. "I love you, all of you, which includes this baby. And I am here for you and this baby."

Callie nodded as tears welled in her eyes. "I love you too."

* * *

Callie closed her eyes as Brandon's fingers danced in her curls. Her head rested on his chest as they laid on top of Brandon's bed. She never wanted to move from this spot. She felt as though no harm could reach her when she was in his arms.

"Why don't you take a nap?" Brandon suggested softly. He was well aware of her poor sleeping habits since the winter ball. Anxious thoughts made it hard for her to fall asleep and when she finally did, she was plagued by vivid nightmares. She began to dread sleep.

Callie opened her eyes and looked up at Brandon. The house was quiet as the twins claimed they were working on a project outside and Jude was sleeping over at Connor's. The offer to take a nap was tempting, but she shook her head. "I don't want to risk someone walking in. Plus, I really don't feel like having a nightmare."

Brandon frowned. Sleep was on the long list of things Vico and Liam had taken from Callie. "I'll wake you up if I see you having one."

Callie smiled. "You're sweet, but I can't. Plus, it's kind of late to take one too."

"Okay, but you need sleep not just for you, but the baby too." Brandon whispered.

"I know." Callie sighed. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words escaped her mouth as she felt another flutter in her stomach. A small laugh left her lips as she moved her hand to her abdomen. "The baby is kicking again. See the baby is wide awake and doesn't want me to sleep right now."

Brandon chuckled as he slid his hand over her stomach to feel the tiny movement. He was pretty sure the feeling would be incredible every time. "I think the baby is agreeing with me that you need sleep."

Callie sat up slowly, her hand remaining on her stomach. "Actually, I think the baby is telling me it wants food."

Brandon laughed as he sat up too. He pushed himself off the bed and took Callie's hand to help her up. Her nausea had mostly disappeared this past week, with the exception of certain foods and smells, and now she had a new love for food. "Let's go figure out dinner. Should we order in?"

Callie paused as she they reached the door. She sniffed the air. "I smell pizza."

Brandon took a whiff of the air, but burrowed his eyebrows. "I don't smell anything. Are you craving pizza so much you're smelling it?"

Callie giggled as she hit him playfully. "I could go for pizza, but I'm telling you I smell it. Your sense of smell gets stronger when you're pregnant."

Brandon opened the door and started for the hall. "Maybe the neighbors ordered pizza or something."

The two made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. Brandon grabbed the bin of takeout menus and searched through them for the local pizza place. Callie strolled towards the window by the sink with raised eyebrows. "I think I found the pizza."

Brandon whipped his head to where she was looking with a puzzled expression. He squinted his eyes as he walked to where she was standing, peering through the window. Two tables sat in the corner of the backyard. One had a stack of pizza boxes as well as plates, napkins, and an assortment of snacks. The other table had drinks and stacks of cups. "What is going on?"

"I think Mariana and Jesus are throwing a party." Callie said.

Brandon shook his head as he started for the back door. "I'm going to kill them."

Callie followed Brandon to the backyard where they found Mariana, Jesus, Mat, and Emma. A flash of worry flickered in Mariana's eyes before she grinned wide. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"What are you doing? What is all of this?" Brandon waved his hand towards the tables.

"We're just having a few friends over." Mariana said casually.

"You need that many boxes of pizza for a few friends?" Callie asked. There had to be at least ten boxes stacked on the table. "Besides Moms said no people over."

"I told you this was a bad idea." Mat whispered to Mariana. The two had grown close since Brandon joined the band and had even went on a few dates, but had yet to define their relationship.

"Look you guys, this is our baby moon too." Mariana said matter-of-factly. "This may be our last chance to throw a party."

Callie shifted uncomfortably. What Mariana didn't know was that there was going to be two babies. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"It's too late to cancel." Jesus piped up.

"Mat invited Lou and Jasper. They're going to play and want you to play with them." Mariana enticed in an attempt to get her brother on board with her plan.

"I'm not getting involved in this." Brandon shook his head as he held his hands in the air. He narrowed his eyes at Jesus. "I hope you didn't invite any of the guys from the wrestling team."

Callie bit down on her lower lip and cast her eyes to the ground. She suddenly felt very uneasy about this party. Everyone from Anchor Beach disliked her and the majority of the students harassed her. She avoided her classmates as much as she possibly could and now they were going to be at her home; one of the few places she felt safe.

" _I_ didn't invite them, we don't talk to them anymore, but it's possible they heard about it." Jesus said, his eyes glancing at Callie. Guilt swam in his stomach. He didn't think about Callie's problems with the school when he planned the party. "If anyone bothers Callie, they're out ASAP."

"Tommy Walker is not allowed here at all, got it?" Brandon said through a clenched jaw. Tommy Walker was best friends with Vico and relentless in harassing Callie. He was also the one to break Brandon's hand.

"Of course. Nobody wants him here." Jesus agreed.

Brandon grabbed a box of pizza from the table and started for the door. "If moms find out about this it's on you two. I'm taking pizza for me and Callie."

"Just don't let anyone in the house either." Callie said before she followed Brandon back into the kitchen.

Brandon slid the box onto the counter and grabbed two plates. He shook his head as he grabbed cups and a pitcher of water. "Those two are unbelievable."

"It'll be fine as long as they stay outside. If they get in trouble, it's on them." Callie said. Her mouth watered as she threw open the pizza box. Her eyes widened with excitement as she lifted a piece of pizza, watching the cheese ooze.

Brandon watched in amusement as she took a bite and closed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you're more in love with that slice of pizza than you are with me?"

"Not more than you. About the same." Callie teased with a grin. "But in all seriousness, pizza has never tasted so good."

Brandon chuckled. He couldn't help, but beam as he watched her enjoy her pizza. For one, he was glad she rekindled her relationship with food. She had been limited to bland foods that still made her nauseous, which made her dread eating. Watching her throw up multiple times a day had been torture for Brandon; he had felt helpless and it was just another reminder of the pain Liam and Vico continued to inflict on her. But mostly he smiled because she continued to amaze him. She was forced into this pregnancy, forced into being a mother at sixteen, and yet she managed to find the positives.

The two enjoyed their pizza while the twins continued to set up for the party. Within a couple of hours, the backyard began to fill with people. Brandon and Callie settled in the living room, finding a movie to watch, and keeping guard that nobody came into the house other than for use of the downstairs bathroom.

A few minutes after the movie ended, Mariana strolled into the living room. "Brandon, please come play with the band. They're about to start and they'd really like you to join."

Callie watched Mariana take off through the back door. "You should go play. Playing doesn't mean you threw the party. Go have fun."

Brandon grimaced. "I don't know…"

"Mariana is right, although for more reasons than she knows. This is our baby moon too." Callie placed a hand on her stomach. She flashed a smile at him. "Go be a carefree teenager before the baby comes."

"Ugh if you insist." Brandon groaned dramatically, but his lips widened into a smile. He glanced around to make sure the room was empty before leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on Callie's lips. He stood and took her hand to help her up. "But I want you out there watching."

Callie grinned. "I would never pass up a chance at watching you play."

Brandon and Callie made their way out to the crowded backyard. Brandon had to resist pressing a kiss to her cheek before he left to meet up with the band in the center of the backyard. Callie felt anxiety settle in the pit of her stomach as she stood in the corner. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt as her eyes scanned the people strolling around the yard. There were too many people for her liking; too many people she didn't trust, and the one person who made her feel as though no harm could reach her was too far away.

A smile found her lips and the anxiety started to ease as the sound of Brandon's voice met her ears. She was so happy he was playing music again. At the start of the second song, she felt sudden pressure on her bladder. She made her way into the quiet house and headed into the downstairs bathroom. A small smile found her lips as she rested her hand on her stomach. "My bladder is not a squeeze toy, baby."

Callie let out a startled gasp as she opened the door after she was done and found a male figure standing there. Her stomach lurched as her eyes met Tommy Walker's. She swallowed thickly and she attempted to move passed him, but he blocked her path. "What do you want?"

"For you to stop accusing Vico and admit that you're a slut." He said as he loomed above her.

Callie could hear the band starting a new song and it made her stomach twist even further. Nobody was supposed to enter the house and with Brandon playing that meant the chance of someone coming inside was slim. She clenched her jaw, trying to hide her fear. "Get out of my way."

He ignored her, taking a step closer to her. "Why don't you tell everyone what really happened that night? How you were begging for it, how you wanted it rough, how…"

"You need to move now." Callie's voice was firm, but her heart was thumping so hard as though she was running a marathon.

His eyes moved up and down her body, sending unnerving chills down her spine. His head swooped down to her ear. "You know Vico told me he'd share you. He said you were so good I should see for myself."

Callie's breathing hitched. Her muscles tensed so much they began to ache. She took a step back in attempt to move away from him, but he took another step forward, leaving her nowhere to go in the small bathroom. She tried to step passed him again, but he gripped her upper arm. The panic in her stomach was growing with each second. "Let go of me."

"It's okay, Vico won't be mad." He smirked. She could feel his hot breath against neck and it made her stomach flip.

"Hey! What's going on?" Mariana shouted as she spotted the wrestler trapping a panicked Callie.

Tommy released his grip on Callie as he turned to face Mariana. His smirked widened. "We're just having a little fun. Would you like to join us?"

Mariana's face scrunched with repulsion. "You're disgusting. Just because no girl wants to touch you doesn't mean you can force yourself on them. You get away from her and away from our house right now or I will call the cops on you for trespassing."

He narrowed his eyes at the short brunette before turning back and glancing at Callie. "Vico says hi by the way."

Callie blinked back tears as she watched him start for the door. Her head whipped towards the back door as it clicked open. Brandon stepped inside, his face contorted with fury when his eyes fell on Tommy. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

Brandon started for the wrestler, but Callie stepped out from the doorway and tugged on his arm. "Brandon, don't. It's not worth it."

"Yeah he was leaving anyway." Mariana shot Tommy a warning glance. She watched as he made his way to the front door. "Oh by the way, I'm friends with Haley now who told me the reason you guys broke up. So, if you ever bother Callie again, I will make sure everyone knows about your small penis."

Brandon watched Tommy slam the door shut. He turned to Callie, noticing her chest heaving and her eyes wide with panic. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen to sit down. "Breathe, Callie. Take some deep breaths."

Mariana moved to the entrance of the kitchen, watching warily. She wasn't sure what she walked in on, but she was glad she interrupted it. "Callie, are you okay?"

Callie inhaled deeply, feeling her heart rate gradually slow. She met Brandon's eyes as her own glistened with unshed tears. She was not okay. Tommy hadn't actually hurt her, but he evoked the same feeling she had when she was in the woods with Vico and Liam; that paralyzing, suffocating terror. She had felt like she was out of control of her own body, her own life. It was a feeling she never wanted to face again and yet it was the very feeling Tommy had just caused.

Brandon's stomach knotted when Callie failed to answer Mariana's question. He could practically see the battle in her head. "Callie, what happened? What did he do?"

A single tear escaped Callie's eyes and she closed her eyes for a moment to stop the others from spilling over her lids. "It wasn't…he…he just scared me. He trapped me in the bathroom and just…said things."

Brandon looked to Mariana. "Can we please shut this party down now?"

Mariana nodded, her eyes holding concern for her foster sister. "I'm on it."

Brandon waited for Mariana to leave before he pulled a chair over to face Callie. "What did he say?"

Callie peeled her eyes away from Brandon. "He was telling me to admit that I…wanted it that night and that…Vico told him he'd share me."

Brandon gritted her teeth as fury pumped through his veins. He took in a calming breath before reaching out and taking Callie's hand in his own. "Did he touch you?"

Callie shook her head as more tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "He just grabbed my arm. He just…he scared me. I…I felt like I was back in those woods."

Brandon frowned. "You're not in those woods and he's not here anymore. You're safe."

"I just want to forget. All of it. What happened, the terror, their faces…" Callie shook her head with frustration as the tears began to stream down her face faster. "I just want to forget and I feel like it's all my mind thinks about constantly no matter how hard I try to stop it."

"Callie…" Brandon sighed sadly. He so badly wanted to pull her onto his lap and hold her in his arms, but he knew he couldn't risk it with the chance of anyone walking through the backdoor. "You went through a really traumatic experience. That doesn't just go away. Trauma is messy and it can take a while to work through."

Callie nodded as she wiped at her dampened cheeks. "I feel like all I do is cry lately."

"Before…before all of this happened, I could count the amount of times I had seen you cry on one hand. You think you have to be strong for everyone, which means you don't let yourself cry in front of people and you try to hide when you're hurt or upset. But the problem with that is everything gets bottled in and builds ups. And so, it's okay to cry, it's okay to break down. Doing so doesn't make you weak. It breaks my heart to see you cry, but it also makes me relieved because I know you're letting some of that pain out." Brandon brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the top of it. "Why don't we head upstairs while they make everyone leave. They have to clean up too so they'll be a while. We can have a nice, uninterrupted cuddle session."

A small giggle escaped Callie's lips. Words couldn't explain how incredibly grateful she was for the curly haired boy before her. He was there for her in her darkest moments. He always knew what to say and when to say it; the only person who could put a smile on her face when her world was falling apart. She nodded and stood as he did. "That sounds like a great idea."

 _Thanks for reading! As you can probably tell, I'm trying to incorporate some of the events that took place in the show. If there's something that happens in the show that you'd like to see in this story, let me know. I'm always open to suggestions- it doesn't just have to be something that happened in the show either._

 _I know I've said in more than one chapter that I wasn't too happy with my writing. I have been suffering with many different health problems for a few years and just found out in December that it's from Lyme disease. Often symptoms get worse before they get better after starting antibiotics and this was the case for me. And so, the minor cognitive difficulties I had have become worse. They're starting to get better, but it definitely affected my writing. Anyway, the reason I am saying this is just to apologize if the writing hasn't been the best quality; I didn't want to put the story on hold nor did I want to stop writing since I love it so much and it's therapeutic._

 _Anyway, enough ranting, I hope you enjoyed! One more chapter and then the moms find out about the pregnancy. They do find out about another secret though next chapter._

 _Review!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Callie walked to the end of the block and dropped down to the bench. A sob ripped through her throat as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Through blurred eyes she found Brandon's name and pressed the call button. Her trembling hands brought the phone to her ear. She swallowed back another sob as she heard his voice through the line. "Brandon."

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'm…I'm fine." She choked out. "I'm just upset. I…I had a fight with Robert. C-can you pick me up?"

"I'm on my way."

Callie stared at paved ground as thoughts swarmed her mind. She flashed back to Sophia's wide grin as she revealed that she had ripped up the abandonment papers. She remembered Robert's relieved face upon hearing the news. She had been betrayed again; by someone she trusted again. She wondered why she trusted anything anymore because it always seemed to blow up in her face.

Brandon's car rolled to a stop by the curb. He jumped out of the car and took a seat on the bench beside Callie. He frowned when he saw her tear stained face. "Hey, what happened?"

"I um…found out that Sophia ripped up the abandonment papers and Robert won't sign them again." She met Brandon's eyes as a new batch of tears shone in her own.

"Won't sign them?" Brandon asked.

"He's going to fight for custody." She croaked. "I should have known. I should have known it's wasn't true. Nothing ever goes right and…"

"Hey, take some deep breaths." Brandon interjected. He shifted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her. "Moms aren't going to give up that easy."

She shook her head, sniffling. "It's over, Brandon. Once the judge finds out about us and the pregnancy, it's over. Robert would win the case."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment as guilt swam in his stomach. "Callie, if you need to end us to stay in the family then I'll deal with it because I just want you to be happy."

Callie smiled through her tears as she met his eyes. Brandon was the one constant in her life; the one person she could trust with absolutely everything."You're sweet. I'm not letting you go again though because _you_ are my happiness, Brandon."

Brandon let out a sigh of relief. He brushed her curls behind her ear and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "You're my happiness too."

"I'm not really sure what I expected. I mean I'm prepared that once I tell Stef and Lena about us I may have to live with Robert and I'm okay with that if it means being with you. I'd rather stay with you guys and I was hoping that with Robert signing the papers, Stef and Lena could just foster me until I'm eighteen, but if they didn't I'd be okay living with Robert. I don't know…I guess just not having the option. It just feels like it was another thing I trusted that blew up in my face."

Brandon waited for Callie's rant to finish before he spoke up. "You're allowed to be upset. I think…I think you've had so many choices taken away from you and so this is just another thing being forced on you and it isn't right. It's another thing that makes you feel like you have no control over your life."

Callie laughed humorlessly. "Because I _don't_ have any control over my life."

Brandon took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. "You have control over this and I can promise you I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to."

A smile stretched Callie's lips and she leaned in to kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He grinned. "Should we get going?"

Callie nodded and placed a hand over her stomach. "Can we stop for ice cream before going home and telling Stef and Lena about the papers?"

"Ice cream?" Brandon chuckled.

A giggle escaped Callie's lips. "The baby wants chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream."

An ear to ear grin spread across Brandon's lips. Every time he hears her laugh, his heart skips a beat. He placed a hand over her growing bump, hidden beneath her loose shirt. "Well whatever the baby wants, the baby gets."

"Don't let the baby hear that." Callie laughed. "He or she already wants to take over my body. I have to buy new pants and bras _again_ because nothing fits. I guess add tops to that since this bump is getting hard to hide and eventually won't fit in anything."

"I'll take you shopping." Brandon laughed. He stood and held his hand out to Callie to help her up. "Come on, let's go get you your ice cream."

* * *

Stef sat at the kitchen table, glasses resting on her nose and papers sprawled out on the table before her. Lena strolled into the kitchen, holding her own piece of paper. She sat down in the chair by her wife and slid it in front of her. Stef lifted her head to meet Lena's eyes. "What's this?"

"Timothy signed the contract papers."

Stef's eyes returned to the paper, quickly scanning the words. At the bottom was a signature. "What? You're kidding."

"He handed it to me Friday after the principal interview. I thought it had something to do with lawyers and I was so happy about getting principal that I didn't want to ruin it. I just opened it." Lena explained with a smile.

"Wow." Stef grinned with wide eyes. She reached out a placed a hand on Lena's leg. "Some good news for once."

Lena nodded with a smile. She watched as Stef opened an envelope and read the paper inside. Stef closed her eyes for a moment as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. Lena burrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"They're delaying the trial again."

"What? Why?" Lena asked. This was the second time they delayed the trial.

"I don't know. Things are still under investigation. I don't know what there is to investigate. They brutally raped her and nearly beat her to death." Stef fumed, waving the paper angrily.

Lena's eyes widened at her wife's choice of words. Her face contorted into concern. "Does it mean something that they're delaying? Are they trying to come up with some sort of loophole?"

Stef threw the paper on the table and pulled her glasses off her face. "They're probably trying to find a defense because there is none. All the evidence is there. They're just buying themselves more time."

"This is just more time Callie has to be anxious. This trial is hanging over her head and she's terrified with Vico not behind bars." Lena said. The front door clicked open. Stef and Lena turned their heads towards the sound. "Callie, is that you?"

"Yes." Callie replied as she stepped into the kitchen, Brandon behind her.

"Were you with Brandon? I thought you were at Robert's after school?" Stef asked as her eyes glanced back and forth between the two teenagers. They had been spending a lot of time lately and Stef wasn't sure if she should be concerned.

"He um picked me up. I had a…fight with Robert." Callie started as she fiddled with her fingers.

Stef shifted forward in her chair. "A fight?"

"Uh…the papers never got signed. I mean they did, but Sophia ripped them up and Robert won't…he won't sign them again. He wants custody." Callie spit out, watching as Stef and Lena's faces both dropped.

Stef opened her mouth, but no word came out. Callie's words were still processing in her mind. Robert wanted custody. "Okay. Okay. We're…we're going to fight this."

Overwhelming guilt suddenly erupted inside of Callie. Guilt for all she had put them through and guilt that she was hiding this secret with Brandon. She swallowed thickly, turning her head to look at Brandon. Their eyes exchanged a silent conversation and Brandon nodded his head. "You can tell them."

Callie turned back to face her foster mothers. Her heart hurdled wildly in her chest. She watched as their eyes turned from shock and disappointment to confusion. Stef leaned forward on the table. "Tell us what?"

"I…I don't know if we can fight this." Callie started hesitantly. "Because Brandon and I…we're together."

The room fell eerily silent. Stef and Lena sat frozen in their chairs, unreadable expressions painted across their faces. Stef's eyebrows shot up to her hairline as she shifted in her chair once again. "Wh-what? What do you mean _you're together_?"

Brandon took a step closer to Callie and reached out for her hand. He intertwined their fingers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He could practically feel the anxiety radiating off the brunette. He met his mother's eyes. "We're dating, we've been seeing each other."

Stef let out a humorless laugh. "Behind everyone's backs?"

Callie felt her heart twinge at Stef's disapproving tone. "I know we went about this in a terrible way and I'm sorry for that."

"How long has this been going on?" Stef crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes flickering back and forth between the two.

"Three months yesterday. Officially anyways." Brandon said.

"Three months?" Stef shouted with wide eyes. "You've been sneaking around behind our backs after we clearly forbid you for _three months_?"

"Stef." Lena started, but her wife interjected.

"I can't even. I thought this was over!" her voice boomed throughout the kitchen as she threw her hands in the air angrily. Callie flinched and was grateful that Brandon spoke up.

"It wasn't!" Brandon raised his voice. "We never stopped loving each other. This wasn't just a kiss at your wedding. It was feelings the developed the day Callie came to live with us and it quickly progressed into love. We saw each other the whole time Callie was at Girls United. We stopped because Callie needed a family, but we never stopped loving each other and we never will no matter how hard you try. The only reason we hid this from you is because we were scared to tell you how we were feeling because you didn't want to hear about it the first time. You just forced us to break up and didn't consider our feelings for a second."

Stef's jaw dropped incredulously as anger coursed through her veins. "Are you kidding me?"

"Stef." Lena repeated, but it fell on deaf ears.

"We forced you to break up? You were about to become _brother and sister_!"

"Stef!" Lena yelled firmly, finally catching the blonde's attentions. She was shocked at the confession the two teenagers had just revealed, but part of her expected it. She saw the way they looked at each other and she knew they had become especially close after the events of the winter ball, but she had ignored it. "Yelling is not going to change anything. Can you just take a minute to relax and process things before you react?"

Callie blinked back the tears that had welled in her eyes. "Look, I know it was wrong of us to hide it from you and I felt horrible for doing that to you when you have been so wonderful to me and I'm grateful, I am. I couldn't be more grateful for you guys. You welcomed me and Jude with open arms when nobody else wanted us and you were the first people to show us love since my mother was alive. I tried to push my feelings for Brandon aside, but he's been there for me through all of this and I feel comfortable around him and he…he makes me feel safe. I just…I really needed him and still do to help me get through this. We've tried to stop loving each other, but we couldn't. I've never felt like this about anyone. I truly love your son so much that it hurts sometimes and when he's not around, even if it's just for an hour, I miss him. Before Robert was fighting for custody, I was okay with sacrificing the piece of paper to be with him because even though I've dreamed of being adopted for so long, being with him is what truly makes me happy. I know this situation is complicated, but I think you guys would understand after everything you've been through to be together."

Stef felt some of her anger dissipate at Callie's sincere words. Callie had just spoken more about her feelings in the past minute than she had since she arrived in their home nearly a year ago. The young brunette was right too. Stef did understand what it was like to love someone that was seen as forbidden in everyone else's eyes. If she had listened to her father, she wouldn't have been involved with Lena and her life would have been miserable.

Stef watched Callie and Brandon's eyes meet momentarily. In that moment, she knew the two truly loved one another. "I'm sorry, but this is a huge shock. I just…you hid this from us for so long."

"You kind of forced us to hide it. When we tried to tell you guys we loved each other after Callie ran away you shut it down. You literally forbid us from seeing each other. We had to deal with everything on our own." Brandon reminded.

"Don't blame Brandon. He was only doing what I asked. I didn't want to hide it from you, but I was terrified to tell you guys. I felt awful hiding it from you, I really did. I felt like being with Brandon was this awful forbidden thing at first, but then I thought about it and being part of this family and ending things with Brandon, pretending to love him as a brother when we both know we love each other as so much more, felt even more wrong. We can't be brother and sister."

"After…after what happened at the winter ball and not knowing if she was going to be okay, made us both realized how much we truly loved each other." Brandon gave her hand another squeeze and she turned her head to look at him, a small smile finding her lips. "I love Callie with all my heart and that's never going to change."

Callie looked back at her foster mothers. "Stef, you said once that choosing Lena was choosing happiness. Me choosing Brandon is choosing happiness. For once in my life, I'm doing something for myself, something that makes _me_ happy. I love you guys and this family so much and I want to stay in this house so badly, but if that means I can't be with Brandon, then I choose Brandon. When I think about sacrificing this home and this family to be with Brandon, it hurts, but when I think about sacrificing my relationship with Brandon to be in this home and family, I feel like I can't breathe. I know that this means I may have to live with Robert, but I can accept that as long as I'm with Brandon."

Brandon smiled at Callie. He was so tempted to lean down and press a kiss to her cheek, but he didn't want to make the situation worse.

Lena glanced at her wife. Both women didn't know how to go about this complicated situation. "Callie, I love you like a daughter and I want you to stay in this house, but more than that I just want you to be happy. If you have to live with Robert, we'll get through it, but you are always welcome here any time of day, and you will always be a daughter to me."

Callie felt a tear escape her eye. The amount of love she found in this family was overwhelming.

"We'll find a way to keep you in this house." Stef announced as she looked into Callie's relieved eyes. She knew it wasn't okay for foster siblings to date and that she should be obligated to create separate living arrangements for the two teenagers, but she didn't care. She was tired of playing by the rules knew that Callie was safest and happiness in this home. She wanted Callie to have the love of a family and a boy; it wasn't fair for her to have to choose just one when she should be able to have both.

"Once the judge finds out about me and Brandon he'll award Robert custody. Me and Brandon can't keep this relationship a secret forever."

"Emancipation." Stef announced. "We get you emancipated so you're no longer a ward of the state and then no one decides where you live besides you."

Callie's shoulder dropped slightly. She wanted to tell Stef that the plan was never going to work. She knew the terms that needed to be met in order to get emancipated; she needed to earn enough money to support herself. Except, it wasn't just her. Once they found out she was pregnant, she would have to earn enough money to support herself and the baby.

"That's a lot of stress and she's already dealing with enough." Lena spoke up.

"I don't want you guys to spend all this money on lawyers and stuff." Callie added.

"Callie, don't worry about the money. Just give me time. Emancipation is just one option. I will figure something out. But we are not giving up, I can promise you that. We will fight for you to stay in this house."

Callie nodded, but didn't believe her words.

"We will accept this relationship between you two. You may have to give us some time to get used to it, but we'll accept it." Stef glanced at her wife who nodded in agreement. "But until we figure out a plan, I need you two to keep this under wraps."

Brandon gawked at his mother for a moment before nodding. To say he was shocked was an understatement. He had expected the furious screaming that Stef had begun with, but he never would have predicted the quick turnaround. He was almost certain that if his moms ever accepted this relationship it would have taken weeks, months, maybe even years.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Callie let out a sigh of relief. She felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders; one huge secret down, one more to go. "I can't tell you how much this means to me that you guys are accepting this."

"I'm a little surprised myself. In all honesty, there were signs you two still had feelings for each other and I think both Mama and I ignored them. And I don't know…I guess hearing you Callie opening up so much about your feelings and talking about how much you trust Brandon and feel safe…well who am I to deny you of that after everything you've been through." Stef smiled sincerely. She thought back to the sleepless nights she had spent in the hospital with Callie. More than once she had stared at the battered girl wondering how she would ever trust someone in a relationship; how she would ever feel safe around a man. And yet, the same girl was standing before her, holding hands with her son who she claimed she trusted more than anything and that he made her feel safe. She had seen Callie let her walls down around Brandon more than anyone else and she knew how hard it was for her to do that. The young girl had been through so much trauma and heartbreak in her short life and they couldn't deny her of the happiness that she found with Brandon.

Callie released her grip on Brandon's hand and walked over to the kitchen chairs her foster mothers occupied. She wrapped her arms around Stef tightly before doing the same to Lena. Both women smiled and accepted the hug. "I love you guys."

"We love you too." Lena smiled. She met her wife's hand before glancing at the paper on the table. "Why don't you take a seat? We have to tell you something."

Callie's stomach dropped as she turned her head back to glance at Brandon. She took a seat across from the women and Brandon sat beside her. He reached into her lap and took her hand again. Callie looked back and forth between Stef and Lena. "What is it?"

"They're delaying the trial again."

Callie's shoulders dropped and disappointment swam in her eyes. "Is…is there a reason?"

"Things are still under investigation." Stef frowned as she watched Callie nibble on her bottom lip.

"This is ridiculous." Brandon huffed with frustration. "What is there to investigate?"

"They're just buying more time because they don't have a defense. All the evidence is there." Stef kept her eyes remained on Callie. She could practically see her putting her walls back up. "Callie, this doesn't mean anything. There is nothing they can say or do that is going to erase the evidence we have."

Callie nodded slowly, but her eyes said otherwise. She just wanted it to be over. This has been looming over her since December and she didn't want to deal with anymore. Countless hours were spent worrying about the outcome, dreading standing in front of everyone while rehashing the details of that awful night; the details she refused to tell anyone but the police right now. And she was terrified that Vico was currently free, leaving her constantly on edge that he would return for revenge. He had promised he would come after her if she had said anything other than that she enjoyed it and his threats hadn't left her mind.

 _Thanks for reading! Another long chapter (the next few are pretty lengthy). So one of the big secrets is out and the next one will be out next chapter. Review!_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Stef plopped down on the couch beside her wife. She let out a breath as she patted Lena's leg. "When was the last time we had the house to ourselves on a nice quiet afternoon?"

Lena opened her mouth to reply when the doorbell rang. A chuckle escaped her lips. "I think you just jinxed it."

Stef laughed as she pushed herself off the couch. She made her way towards the front door. Her eyebrows raised as she opened the door and found Robert standing on the porch. "Robert?"

"Hi Stef." He greeted with a small grin. "I know we're not on the best terms right now, but there's something I need to tell you guys."

Stef turned back to her wife to exchange confused glances. There had been a mutual tension between the two women and Robert since he announced his want for custody two weeks ago. After seeing the judge, Callie was required to have weekly visits with Robert for the remainder of the waiting period.

"It's about Callie." He added nervously.

"Uh yeah, come in." Stef waved her arm towards the living room. She closed the door behind Robert and pointed to the chair by the couch. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm good, thanks." Robert said as he sat down.

Stef returned to her spot beside Lena. "So, what's going on?"

Robert reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small bottle. He handed it to Stef and Lena. "I found this in Callie's bag last night."

Lena took the bottle. Her eyes widened as she read the label: _Prenatal Multivitamin._ "What? They were in her bag?"

Robert nodded. "There were also ginger candies in there. I remember Jill living on ginger products during the first trimester. There have been other signs too. Her clothes have been getting baggier. It was eighty degrees the other day and she was wearing a sweatshirt. She uses the bathroom a lot and she refused to even try the sushi at dinner the other night."

"Oh my god." Stef breathed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. The pieces began to fit the puzzle. There were signs; Callie hadn't worn a fitted shirt in weeks, she had been running to the bathroom many times a day, she had stopped eating certain foods, and ginger ale had been her best friend. Her eyes gawk at the bottle in Lena's hand, blinking once, twice, three times; hoping that the label would somehow change. "I don't…I don't even know what to say."

Lena closed her eyes from a moment before she glanced at Stef. Her mind thought back to Callie's battered and bloody body trembling in Brandon's arms the night of the Winter Ball. "Could…could it be from…"

"That was months ago. You really think she's been hiding this for that long?" Stef inhaled shakily, bringing her fingers up to massage her temples. Her mind was swarming with thoughts. She couldn't imagine Callie being that far along in a pregnancy without anyone knowing, but Callie was still very traumatized and she didn't think she had been intimate with anyone.

Robert opened his mouth to question the event the two women before him were referring to, but the front door opened. As if on cue, Callie and Brandon entered the living room. Callie froze when she saw her foster mothers and biological father sitting in the living room with confused and concerned expressions. Her stomach plummeted. Without a doubt, the topic of discussion revolved around her. "What's going on?"

"Come sit." Stef said tightly. She narrowed her eyes at her son, the realization that he could be the father hitting her. The two had said they had been together for three months and it was clear Callie trusted Brandon more than anything. It was very possible they could have been intimate. The very thought made Stef's blood boil. They had preached about safe sex over and over again.

Brandon's eyebrows knitted together. His eyes met Callie's anxious ones. She took a seat on the couch and Brandon sat beside her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she glanced back and forth between her foster mothers and Robert. "What's up?"

"Robert found these in your bag." Stef shoved the vitamins towards Callie. She kept her eyes on the brunette, waiting for a reaction.

Callie swallowed thickly and as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth. The room suddenly felt drastically warming, yet goosebumps covered her skin. It was over. Her secret was out. Brandon shifted beside her. She hesitated before her eyes scanned the three adults; Robert appeared mostly confused with a hint of worry, Lena's face was etched with concern, and Stef was unreadable, but Callie swore she saw anger in her eyes. This was not the way she was planning on telling them and she had certainly wanted tell Stef and Lena before Robert. But it was all over. There was no going back now.

"Would you like to explain?" Lena asked gently and Callie realized she had been staring at the bottle silently for too long.

"I'm…I'm pregnant." She croaked shakily, holding her breath as she waited for their reactions. She had developed a thousand different scenarios for this exact moment in her mind. She had practiced saying it in the mirror countless times, and yet nothing could have prepared her for this moment. Nor did she ever think Robert would discover her secret and be the one to spill it.

Stef inhaled sharply and closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to process the young brunette's words. She had assumed Callie was pregnant by the evidence Robert had shared, but Callie admitting somehow made it seem that much more real. Her face remained hard and her voice curt. "I don't understand. When did this happened?"

Callie was taken aback by Stef's question. Shame swam in her eyes. "In December."

Stef's stomach twisted. Her features softened as her shoulder dropped. Suddenly, she was wishing Callie was pregnant with Brandon's baby. "December? This is from…the Winter Ball?"

Callie nodded as tears shone in her eyes. "I haven't…with anyone else."

"Are you sure? That you're pregnant? You took emergency contraception." Lena asked even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer. She thought back to that awful first night in the hospital. The traumatized girl had spent the entire night and early morning throwing up. The emergency contraception probably had not been absorbed.

Callie reached into her bag and pulled out a picture of the sonogram she received earlier today. She handed it to her foster mothers. "I'm positive. Brandon took me to the doctors today. I'm eighteen weeks pregnant with a healthy girl."

"I don't…" Stef searched for her words as she stared at the sonogram picture in her hands. This didn't seem real. Eighteen weeks. The young girl had been suffering alone with this life changing news for eighteen weeks. Were they that oblivious that they didn't see the signs sooner? "I don't understand how we didn't know this."

"I…I was hiding it from you. Brandon, Daphne, and Rita were the only ones that knew. I was trying to process it and I was terrified to tell you guys especially with you being pregnant too." The tears were on the brim of her eyelids now and she knew it was only a matter of seconds before they finally erupted.

"Oh love." Stef frowned as she leaned forward and pulled the trembling brunette into her arms. That was all it took for the tears to burst. Stef rubbed her back soothingly. "You know you can come to us with anything. Why were you terrified to tell us?"

Callie pulled out of Stef's arms and wiped at her dampened cheeks. "For one, I found out I was pregnant like an hour before Lena announced her pregnancy."

Lena closed her eyes as she thought back to that day. It all made sense. Callie had seemed especially off when she came home that day, was distant when Lena announced it, and then they had found her sobbing on the bathroom floor.

"I already put you guys through so much. In the beginning, I was in denial and trying to process it and then the longer I waited to tell you, the harder it became. I was afraid you'd be mad or…or call my social worker." A sob ripped through her throat on the last part of her explanation.

Stef reached across to take Callie's hand in hers. She looked into the brunette's teary eyes. "My love, you never _ever_ have to worry about that. There is nothing you can do that would make us not want you."

"And you never have to be scared to tell us something." Lena added. Her heart was breaking for the young girl before her. She couldn't imagine what she had been feeling harboring this secret for so long. "We could never be mad at you for something like this either. This wasn't your fault."

"I was trying not to interrupt, but can someone please explain what happened." Robert spoke up in a shaky voice. His mind was filling in the holes with something he didn't want to believe was true. "What happened at the Winter Ball?"

Stef watched Callie's body tense. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Do you want me to tell him?"

Callie shook her head as she wiped at her eyes again. She looked at her father hesitantly. "I…I was assaulted."

Those were the words Robert was hoping wouldn't come out of her mouth. He swallowed thickly as he tried to fit the pieces together. "This…this is why you're…pregnant?"

Callie nodded, refusing to meet Robert's eyes. She couldn't handle seeing the disappointment in his eyes.

"Who did this? Did you catch the guy? Are you pressing charges?" Robert rambled, running a hand through his hair.

Callie closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't want to talk about this anymore. Brandon reached over and placed a gentle hand on her knee. She suddenly found the strength to continue. "Uh it was…it was an old foster brother and someone from school."

Robert's eyes grew wide as nausea swam in the pit of his stomach. "Two guys? Your old foster brother?"

"They…they apparently met at a party. My old foster brother…he was getting revenge for taking him to court the first time and the other guy…he wanted revenge on Brandon."

"What? The first time? What did Brandon do?" Robert couldn't make sense of Callie's words. His brain felt scrambled and he had to remind himself that this was reality and not a nightmare he was about to wake up from.

Stef inhaled deeply. She could tell Callie was barely holding it together answering Robert's questions. She gently rubbed the brunette's arm before looking at Robert. "Callie was in a foster home about two years ago with this foster brother and he raped her. When Callie came here and told us about it we tried to press charges, but it was her word against his and he didn't get convicted. The other guy, Vico, got Brandon to sell fake IDs with him and when Brandon realized it was a bad idea, he stopped and started to buy them back. Vico, who clearly has issues, got mad. I guess they met at a party and somehow found out about each other's wants of revenge. The night of the Winter Ball they got Callie outside alone and took her to the woods where they…attacked her. We are in the process of pressing charges. We have a very strong case."

Robert's eyebrows were practically at his hairline. He was quiet for a moment before clearing his throat. "I'm sorry, this is a lot to process."

"We know." Stef nodded before adding with a hint of bitterness. "We've been dealing with this for months."

"Robert, I know you're trying to process all of this, but we're trying to process that she's pregnant and have questions about that." Lena told Robert before turning to face Callie. "Have you thought about your options?"

Callie nodded as she wiped at her dampened cheeks. "I'm keeping her. It's too late for an abortion, but I wouldn't personally be able to do that anyway and after everything I've been through with the system, I can't risk her ending up there if I go the route of adoption. It's too late now anyway, I love her."

Stef watch Callie place a hand on her stomach and she could see a hint of pregnancy bump as the clothing moved against her skin. Her mind was reeling. It felt like a new bomb was dropped nearly everyday. She wasn't quite sure how the young brunette was holding it together. She was being forced in motherhood at a young age and yet she was welcoming it with open arms.

The three adults were silent for too long. Callie fidgeted on the couch as she chewed on her bottom lip. "I understand if this is too much. I don't want to be a burden. I'm keeping her no matter what though so if you want to give up on me then…"

"Hey, hey, hey." Stef interjected. "We are _not_ giving up on you, love. We just told you there is nothing you could do to make us not want you. You didn't even do this. This wasn't a mistake you made. This was forced on you. And even if it was a mistake, we would still support you and love you."

Callie felt more tears sting her eyelids. "But you guys are having a baby of your own."

"Callie, there's plenty of room for a baby in my house." Robert spoke up.

"Don't." Callie shook her head as she clenched her jaw. There were enough emotions and thoughts meddling in her mind; she didn't need to think about the custody battle right now. "Don't make this into a custody debate right now."

Lena glared at Robert before she smiled sincerely at Callie. She reached across her wife to pat Callie's leg. "If you want to keep her, we will make room for her."

A sigh of relief escaped from Callie's lips. The two women sitting before her continued to amaze her with the amount of love they had. Another tear slipped from her eye, but a small smile stretched her lips. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"When are you due?" Lena asked. She assumed she was only a few weeks ahead in her pregnancy than Callie.

"September 12th." Callie replied. "So, I can at least finish up this school year."

"We'll figure out school, love, but it's most important that you take care of yourself and the baby." Stef smiled softly. "We are going to help you as much as possible."

"Cal, I know you don't want to make this about custody, but you wouldn't have to worry about any of these things at my house. There's plenty of room for a baby there and we could hire a nanny."

Stef gritted her teeth as she turned to Robert to unleash her wrath, but Callie beat her to it. "I told you to stop. I don't want to live with you. I'm sorry, but _this_ is my home and it always will be. I told you I would still have a relationship with you, but I want to stay here. They just told me they'd make room and I don't want some nanny to watch my baby."

"Robert, thank you for bringing this to our attention, but I think it's time for you to leave now." Stef stood and started for the door. She was grateful that he included them in his concerns for Callie, but now he was taking things too far. "You can discuss everything with Callie another time, but right now she's overwhelmed as it is and you're making it worse."

Robert stood with an annoyed sigh. "I'm sorry, Callie."

"Now that you know everything, please keep in mind that this is another choice you're taking away from me." Callie's said softly, her eyes silently pleading with Robert.

Robert's face revealed the conflict erupting in his mind. "I'll talk to you later."

Callie watched as Stef closed the door after Robert stepped out. She brought a hand to her forehead and rubbed her face. She just wanted a break from everything that was going on; one day to just forget about everything. Brandon reached into her lap and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "You doing okay?"

"He's going to go to the judge about the pregnancy." Callie whispered, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. "And now you know why emancipation isn't going to work."

Stef returned to her spot on the couch. "Callie, we will find a way to keep you in this house. I just want you to focus on keeping yourself and the baby healthy."

"Will you love my baby?" Callie blurted out in a small voice as she glanced back and forth between Lena and Stef. It was one of the biggest fears she had when she thought about revealing the pregnancy. She feared the family wouldn't accept it; wouldn't get passed the baby's conception. "Will you love her even though she was created from something horrible?"

"Callie, of course we will love this baby. This is _your_ baby. What do we always say? DNA doesn't make a family, love does. I promise you we love this baby already, especially because it's half you, which means it's already an amazing person." Stef eyes remained glued to Callie to express her sincerity. "Before Ana became clean we had some pretty harsh feelings towards her, but we love Jesus and Mariana. We loved you and Jude without knowing anything about your biological parents. We see this baby as yours and that is it."

Callie nodded and fell into Stef's arms as they folded around her. She cherished the comfort of her foster mother's embrace. She pulled away after a moment and wiped at her dampened cheeks. "I'll tell everyone else tomorrow, but I want to tell Jude first. I think he needs to hear it from me alone so can we just keep this quiet for today?"

"Whatever you need, love." Stef patted Callie's leg gently.

"Thank you." Callie smiled as she stood. "My bladder feels like it's about to explode so I'm going to head upstairs."

Stef laughed as she watched her son follow Callie towards the stairs. "Okay sweets."

Lena waited until she heard the bathroom door upstairs close before she met her wife's eyes. "So much for a quiet afternoon alone."

Stef chuckled with a nod. "Yeah you think. I don't…I don't even know what to do."

"What is there to do?" Lena asked. "She's already made up her mind about keeping the baby."

"I know, but she's _sixteen_. Is this really what we want for her?"

"No, we don't want her to become a mother at sixteen." Lena began with a frown. "But we also didn't want her to get hurt and traumatized the way she was. She's had too many choices taken away from her already so we have to support her and agree with her decisions. Not to mention that giving up a baby is going to cause more distress and trauma on her."

"No, you're right. I do support her and I don't want her to give the baby up, I just…wish this wasn't even happening." Stef rubbed her temples. There was no easy solution to this situation. "She has so much potential and she can't get a break. I mean this is going to delay school and who knows about college now. And I mean now her childhood is practically over."

"I'm pretty sure her childhood ended when she and Jude were thrown into foster care. She was practically a mother to Jude." Lena reached for Stef's hand. "We'll help her graduate and get into college. There's no rush. If she's behind a couple of years then so be it. We'll find a way to make this work and if anyone get figure this out it's Callie."

Stef closed her eyes for a moment. Lena was right, but it didn't make it okay. Stef was fully aware Callie would figure this out, but she shouldn't have to. "I know, this is just a lot to take in. And it kills me that she's been dealing with this alone."

"I wish she would have come to us sooner, but I'm pretty sure she had Brandon helping her through this." A small smile found her lips. "I know we were both a little uncertain about this relationship in the beginning, but honestly I have to say that I'm relieved. They both found someone who cares and loves them and treats them better than anything. I mean isn't that what we want for our kids? And especially Callie, who would probably come across so many problems in the dating world with all that she's been through."

Stef patted Lena's knee and nodded. "No, you're a hundred percent right, my love. I just want that girl to catch a break."

"I know. Me too." Lena nodded. "Guess we're having two babies soon."

Stef laughed as she leaned back on the couch and pulled Lena into her arms. She pressed a kiss to her wife's cheek. "We're really the Brady Bunch, huh?"

Lena smiled as she rested her head on Stef's shoulder. They sat in a comfortable silence, both still processing the latest news. Callie's words replayed in their head. It seemed surreal, like they had dreamt the last hour. But they hadn't. In a few short months there would be two babies joining the Foster family.

 _Thanks for reading! The secret is finally out. The rest of the Fosters will find out next chapter. After receiving a review last chapter, I just want to note that this has been from the start and will continue to be a Brallie story. This does not mean the that the moms are giving up on Callie. Also, I just want to say how excited (and sad) I am for the season finale. Although, I have a feeling they are going to kill off Grace._

 _Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Callie walked into Jesus and Jude's room to find Jude sitting on his bed, scribbling on a worksheet. Her eyes scanned the room for Jesus, but didn't see him. She strolled over to his bed, fidgeting with the zipper on her sweatshirt, which hid her pregnancy belly. A small smile stretched her lips as he met her eyes. "Hey, can I talk to you?"

Jude pushed his sheet aside and scooted over to make room for his sister. "Sure."

Callie inhaled shakily as she sat next to her brother. Her stomach knotted with anxiety. "What I'm about to tell you isn't easy and you might be shocked and angry or upset, but I need you to promise that you'll tell me what you feel."

Jude nodded, concern etched across his face. "I promise."

"I'm pregnant." Callie kept her eyes locked with Jude's as she spit out the words. She could practically see the thoughts running through his mind, but he remained silent, his face wearing an unreadable expression. She took a deep breath. "Jude, please say something."

"Whose is it?"

Callie shifted on the bed, swallowing the lump in her throat. She swore she heard a hint of bitter in her voice. "I…I don't know…either L-Liam or Vico."

"Are you getting an abortion?" He asked curtly through a clenched jaw. His eyes narrowed at her.

"No." Callie whispered, shaking her head. Her stomach twisted further at his question. Did he want her to get one? Was he not going to accept this baby? "I'm keeping her. It's a girl. I'm five months."

Jude's face contorted into anger. His hands balled into fists by his side. "You can't keep her! Lena's having a baby. You having a baby is going to ruin everything!"

Callie flinched at her brother's harsh voice. She was expecting him to be shocked or maybe even upset, but she never expected anger from him; at least not anger that was directed towards her. "Jude, I…"

"No, you always have to ruin everything. You got us kicked out of the Olmsteads and then we moved here and it's been one problem after the other with you. You've been putting Stef and Lena through hell and causing all of these problems." Jude spat angrily as his eyebrows knitted together.

Callie blinked back tears. His words felt like a stab to the heart. For seven years her every move, her every decision, her every thought had revolved around his protection. She had given up meals and starved so he would have a full belly. She had taken the blame for tiny mistakes he made or talked back to their foster parents so they would beat her and not him. She had kept her mouth shut after Liam forced himself on her until his parents caught him kissing her so Jude could remain in a home he loved. She had sacrificed her safety and happiness for him, and yet she still somehow managed to get it wrong. She nodded and stood, choking back tears. "I'm sorry."

Jude didn't say anything as his sister left, shutting the door behind her. Callie walked down the hall and threw open Brandon's door, her lower lip trembling. Brandon whipped his head towards the door and stood when he saw Callie's broken appearance. "What's wrong?"

"Jude hates me." She choked out before erupting into tears.

Brandon gathered her into his arms and let her sob into his shirt. He gently stroked curls. "He doesn't hate you. You told him you were pregnant?"

She nodded against his shirt. "He's mad that I got us kicked out of the Olmsteads and he says I'm always ruining everything and causing all of these problems for Stef and Lena."

"Callie…" Brandon sighed. He wanted to be angry at Jude for hurting Callie, but he couldn't. Jude was still a kid and he didn't understand. "Listen to me, Jude is thirteen. He doesn't understand what you're going through and he's just reacting. Give him some time to process what you just told him."

"No, he's right. I do ruin everything." Callie whispered, pulling out of Brandon's arms to wipe at her dampened cheeks.

"No, you don't." Brandon lifted her chin up and gently brushed away the tear that dribbled down her cheek with his thumb. "Liam got you kicked out of the Olmsteads, not you. That wasn't a safe place for you guys anyway. Jude probably didn't realize how dangerous all those foster homes were because you shielded him from everything."

"That was the goal." Callie sniffled before biting down on her bottom lip. "I was worried about Stef and Lena and you accepting that I'm keeping her and I never once thought that Jude would be so against it."

"He was mad at us when we first told him we were together and he came around the next day, right? So give him some time." Brandon said. When Brandon and Callie announced to the rest of the family that they were in a relationship, Jude took it the hardest. Jesus was just happy to see Callie happy and Mariana was angry at first, but she came around within an hour when she realized the two truly loved each other- she was a sucker for romance. It took a little longer for Jude to come around. He couldn't see passed the fact that this meant Callie would never be officially adopted by the Fosters. It wasn't until the next day when Jude walked in the house to find Callie giggling at something Brandon has said or done that he realized how happy his sister was being with Brandon. This was not Callie making a reckless decision in attempt to blow up something she didn't trust; this was her sacrificing an official adoption to be with Brandon because he meant that much to her. "I think maybe he's worried about sharing you. He's already had to share you with us and now you're going to be occupied with a baby."

Callie pulled out of Brandon's arms and started for the door. "I should go talk to him."

Brandon gently grabbed Callie's shoulders. "No. Give him some time to process. You've had five months to process this, he hasn't had any."

Callie grunted and leaned into Brandon's embrace. "I hate when you're right."

Brandon let out a laugh and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So I was at the mall before and I picked up a few things for the baby."

"Brandon, you don't have to do that." Callie said, watching as he grabbed a shopping bag from the corner of the room.

"I want to." He grinned. He reached into the bag, pulling out a onesie with music notes on it, a pink and purple striped fleece sleep suit with sheep on it, and a bear hooded towel.

"These are adorable." Callie face lit up as she took the clothing items from Brandon. She ran her fingers over the soft fabric.

"Wait, this one is my favorite." Brandon's smile widened as he reached into the bag once more. He held up a pink onesie that read, _I'm Cute, Mom's Hot, Dad's Lucky._ "I'm a pretty lucky guy."

Callie giggled and felt her heart swell as she looked at Brandon's lopsided grin. Her smile fell suddenly. "Brandon, I'm not expecting you to be the dad or a father figure to her."

"I _want_ to be. I love you and I love this baby." He placed a hand on her stomach and leaned in to capture her lips in a kiss. She smiled against his lips, pulling away when she felt a flutter in her stomach. Brandon chuckled, his hand remaining on her bump. "See, she's agreeing. She wants me to be her Daddy."

Callie placed her hand next to Brandon's to feel the movement. Feeling the baby move felt extraordinary every time. She met Brandon's eyes, gleaming with love and sincerity. Her own welled with tears. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this. It's a lot. I would never expect it. I don't want to hold you back."

Brandon removed his hand from her stomach and pushed her hair behind her ear. He cupped her cheek, brushing away the tear that escaped her eye. "I love you and this baby so, so much. I'm not going anywhere. E _ver._ You're not holding me back. I don't see a future without you and her and I don't want to see one any differently."

Callie nodded against his hand, closing her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her once more. "I love you."

"I love you too. More than anything." Brandon whispered, wiping her cheeks as more tears trickled down them, "I hope these are happy tears?"

Callie nodded as a giggle escaped her lips. "Yes. These pregnancy hormones are an emotional rollercoaster."

A smirk stretched across Brandon's lips. "Yeah, I never thought I would see you crying during a dog food commercial."

Callie chucked as she nudged Brandon playfully. "Shut up. It was heartwarming."

"If you say so." Brandon laughed before his smile landed on her lips once more.

* * *

Stef placed the bowl of salad on the kitchen table before sitting down with her family. She met Callie's eyes, who nodded her head. Stef cleared her throat before looking to Mariana and Jesus. "Hey guys, Callie has something she needs to tell you guys."

Mariana burrowed her eyebrows as she looked to Callie. A worried expression spread across her features. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm pregnant." Callie blurted out. She had said those words more in the past couple of days than she had during the entire pregnancy. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Mariana and Jesus. Jesus nearly choked on the piece of potato he was eating. The fork Mariana was holding slipped from her grasp, clanking loudly against the plate.

"Y-you're pregnant?" Mariana asked, her eyes growing twice their size. She glanced at Brandon. "Wait, is it yours?"

Brandon shook his head, glaring at his sister. He knew that question made Callie's stomach knot because it forced her to address the baby's real paternity. However, he knew it was the easier assumption because nobody would have thought Callie had hidden a pregnancy for five months.

"It's not Brandon's." Callie whispered sadly. She wished more than anything that it was Brandon's baby she was carrying. "I haven't done anything with anyone…consensually."

Realization settled upon Mariana. She shook her head slightly. It couldn't be. "B-but that was like five months ago."

Callie nodded. She unzipped the sweatshirt she was wearing, slipped it off, and stood, displaying her prominent pregnancy bump in her tank top. "I'm five months pregnant with a baby girl and I'm keeping her."

The room fell silent for a moment as Mariana and Jesus processed the news. A tiny squeal escaped Mariana's mouth as Callie sat back down. "Another girl? Wait so I'm going to be an aunt?"

"Yes, you're going to be an aunt." A smile found Callie's lips at Mariana's excitement. If only Jude had a similar reaction. She looked to Jesus, who still appeared shocked. "Jesus?"

"I'm sorry, this is just a lot. Like an hour ago you were still skinny and now all of a sudden you're not." He pointed at her stomach, his eyes still wide as he stared at her.

"Jesus." Stef warned, cringing slightly at his choice of words. "She's not, not skinny, she's carrying a baby."

"No, that's not what I…it's just like all of sudden you're pregnant when ten minutes ago you weren't. Or I thought you weren't. It's just…shocking and gives me another reason to want to kill Vico and Liam." He clenched his fists as he thought about the two hurting Callie. This was another thing they forced on her and it wasn't fair.

Callie shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She hated acknowledging that Vico or Liam was the father to this baby. Jesus's words made her wonder if he would have a hard time seeing passed the baby's DNA.

"I'm not condoning the violence, but I think we all want to see Vico and Liam punished." Lena spoke up as she watched the pregnant teenage fidget anxiously. "We're all aware of the pain and suffering they've caused Callie, but we're not going to think of them in relation to this baby. This is Callie's baby."

Callie smiled at Lena gratefully as she placed a hand over her stomach. Jesus shook his head and his featured softened. He realized he was doing a poor job at communicating his thoughts. "I didn't mean to imply anything. I mean it just makes me mad that they hurt you and forced you into all these things like pregnancy. I will love her and be the best uncle, I promise. I think we all know that DNA is bullshit anyway."

"Watch the language." Stef scolded, but a smile appeared on her lips. "You're right, though."

"Where's the baby going to stay?" Mariana asked as she scooped a forkful of rice into her mouth.

"Mama and I are still figuring things out, but Frankie is going to stay in our room and we're going to clean out the garage and maybe put Jesus and Jude in there or Brandon and then we'll turn the bedroom upstairs into a nursery. Callie can choose to move into the room with the baby or stay where she is."

"I'll give up my room, but I want to stay upstairs so I can help with the baby." Brandon said.

Stef glanced at Lena, but nodded her head. "Okay. We'll figure it out."

"I don't want to burden anyone. I can stay in the garage, but I think we should hold off anyway because we don't even know if I'll be living here the time she is born." Callie frowned. The fact that she didn't know where she would be living when the baby was born was overwhelming.

"You'll be in this house if I have any say in it." Stef said firmly. "We're working on a plan. But you're not living in the garage with a baby and you're not being a burden. We'll figure this out, okay?"

Callie nodded, although she wasn't convinced everything would be figured out. She looked to Mariana as she spoke up. "Does Jude know?"

Callie glanced down at her plate. "Uh yeah. He didn't take it too well."

"Really?" Mariana asked with a frown.

"That's why he went to Connor's today. He's mad at me. He doesn't want to keep her."

Stef placed a gentle hand on Callie's arm. "He just needs time to process everything. We're going to talk to him too."

"Does anybody else know? What are you going to do about school?" Mariana spewed curiously.

"Mariana." Lena warned gently. "I know this is big news, but let's try not to badger Callie."

"It's fine." Callie smiled slightly at the vibrancy in Mariana's voice. "Stef and Lena obviously and Brandon. Rita, Daphne, and Robert, which I'm guessing Jill and Sophia now too. And as for school, I'm not due till September so I can finish up this year and well…we're trying to figure something out for senior year."

"Well I'm happy to babysit whenever you need." Mariana smiled.

"Thank you." Callie returned the smile, grateful for her foster sister's acceptance. Her two biggest fears about revealing this secret were that her family would be mad that she was pregnant and they would not accept the baby. The one person she had expected to be okay with it was the one person who actually didn't accept it. The rest of them continued to amaze her with their unconditional love and welcoming arms.

* * *

"How about Bailey?" Callie suggested as she flipped through the book of baby names. She sat on the couch, her swollen, aching feet resting on Brandon's lap as he gently rubbed them. Brandon's fingers paused as he looked at Callie with a wrinkled nose. Callie chuckled. "I guess that's a no?"

"Unless you want people to think she's a dog."

"Okay, Bailey is a no." Callie laughed before returning her eyes to the book. "Daisy is cute."

"Callie, we're naming a baby not a dog." Brandon reminded as his fingers kneaded the bottom of her feet.

Callie scoffed with a smile. She attempted to swing her legs over the couch to sit up, but struggled. Brandon watched in amusement. "Your turning down all my names and now you won't even help me up. Watching a pregnant girl struggle is just evil."

Brandon chuckled as he took her hand and helped her sit up. She sat crossed legged facing Brandon, who pointed at the book. "There's like a million names in that book, you seriously can't find anything better?"

Callie threw the book at him with a grin. "You look then."

Brandon opened the book to a random page and scanned the names. "How about Mallory? That's pretty."

Callie snatched the book back and found the name he was referring to. "Did you look at the meaning? Unfortunate one? I'm not naming my baby something that means unlucky. She's has enough of that in her genes from me."

"Jeez, I didn't know we were looking at meanings now. Does anyone pay attention to name meanings?"

Callie slapped him playfully. "It doesn't have to necessarily mean anything, but I don't want one that means unlucky. Do you know the meaning of your name?"

"What do you think the answer to that is?"

Callie narrowed her eyes at him before smiling. "It means brave, which I think is very fitting for you."

"What does Callie mean?" He asked. When she shrugged, he flipped through the pages to find her name. "The most beautiful."

Callie laughed sarcastically. "Guess my mom didn't do a good job picking out a name."

"Hey." Brandon shifted towards her as his hand reached up to push her curls behind her ears. His hand rested on her cheek. "The name is perfect for you. You _are_ the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

Callie's eyes fluttered shut as Brandon's lips landed on hers. She inhaled his woodsy scent; the smell that instantly made the anxiety swimming in her stomach ease. His thumb caressed her cheek before sliding to the back of her neck, tangling his fingers in her hair as he pulled her closer. Their lips danced together in perfect synchrony, only separating when the two needed air. "You're sweet."

Brandon frowned as he studied her eyes, knowing she was unconvinced by his words. "Callie, I'm being a hundred percent honest. You're gorgeous."

"I love you." She whispered, smiling against his lips as she connected them with his again. She winced when she pulled away and her hand found her chest.

"Heartburn?" Brandon asked. She had been experiencing heartburn often in the past few weeks. He laughed slightly when she nodded. "I told you not to eat the salsa."

Callie groaned, placing a hand on her bump. "She wanted the salsa."

Brandon pushed himself off the couch. "I'll get you your medicine and water."

Brandon returned to the living room a few moments later, nursing a glass of water and cupping a pill. Callie accepted both items, placing the pill in the back of her throat and washing it down with a sip of water. She reached over to the side table to place her glass of water on it. "Thanks, B. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Suffer from heartburn." He teased as he claimed his seat back. She nudged him playfully. "I thought of a name while I was getting you water though."

"You did?" Callie asked with raised eyebrows.

"Melody."

Callie beamed at Brandon as her hand found her bump again. She knew without looking it up that the name had a musical meaning. She leaned forward and planted another kiss on Brandon's lips, draping her arms around his neck to pull him close. Their foreheads remained together after their lips parted. "I love it."

Brandon smiled as he gazed into her chocolate eyes; the eyes that made him fall in love with her all over again every time he looked into them. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted as the front door opened. Jude stood in the living room, his eyes finding the bump on Callie's frame. She had taken her sweatshirt off now that everyone knew and her pregnancy was prominent in her fitted tank top.

Callie offered him a sad smile. "Hey."

He hesitated before taking a seat on the couch beside his sister. "Can we talk?"

Callie shifted on the couch to face him. She nodded, searching his eyes. She didn't know where this conversation was about to go. Was he still mad? Would he ever be able to accept this? She nodded her head at him. "Of course."

"Do you want me to leave?" Brandon asked, but Jude shook his head.

"You can stay." He said, pausing for a moment. "I'm sorry."

Callie closed her eyes for a moment as a sigh of relief escaped her lips. "It's okay, Jude."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have said what I did and I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm angry that dad killed our mom. I'm angry that we were in the foster system. I'm angry that you had to give up food and take beatings to protect me. I'm angry that you went to juvie for no reason. I'm angry that Liam and Vico hurt you. I'm angry that you have a different birth father. I'm angry that nothing ever goes right for you. I'm angry and I took it out on you, but I'm not angry _at you."_ Jude explained. "You don't ruin things and I know you didn't get us kicked out of the Olmstead's, or any home for that matter. But I guess blaming you hurt less because if it was your fault then maybe that meant that my life wasn't as messed up."

Callie reached across to take her brother's hand in hers. Her heart ached for all that Jude went through in his young life. "We've gotten a really raw deal in life, but it has absolutely nothing to do with you, okay?"

"And it doesn't have to do with you, either." Jude peeled his eyes away for a moment. "When I asked you who's the baby was, I think I already knew. But…I was…I wanted it to be someone else's. I wanted it to be a stupid mistake you made. I wanted to be mad at you about it."

Callie swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I'm sorry."

"No, I don't want you to be sorry." Jude shook his head, knitting his eyebrows together. "I yelled at you to take my anger out and it wasn't right. And this is why I hate myself for doing that because no matter what happens to you, you are always thinking about someone else."

"I don't want you to hate yourself. I'm not mad at you. I was hurt because I love you so much and you accepting this would mean the world to me, but I get why you got mad. And you have every right to be mad about what has happened to us." Callie gave his hand a gentle squeeze. It amazed her at how much he had grown. He was no longer a little kid, clinging to her for every need.

"I'm mad that you were forced into a pregnancy, but I promise that I will love her." Jude said before a small smile found his lips. "I'm going to be an uncle."

Callie exchanged the smile and pulled him into an embrace. Relief washed over her that he finally came around. She pressed a ginger kiss to his hairline. "Yes, you are."

 _Thanks for reading! I apologize for the delay. Unfortunately, my Lyme symptoms returned after finishing the antibiotics and so I'm on another course, which again is messing with my head. I haven't been very happy with my writing lately, but I want to get something out to you guys. Also, I forgot to mention last chapter that AllyCallie gave me the idea for Robert to tell Stef and Lena about the pregnancy; just wanted to give them a shout out. Next Callie stops hiding the pregnancy and Robert makes an appearance. Review!_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Callie gawked at her reflection in the mirror. Today was the day that she was done hiding the pregnancy from the world. The fitted, navy blue and white striped top she wore displayed her pregnant stomach prominently. With her stomach seemingly growing by day, she only had a few tops that were baggy enough to hide it and all of those had been dirty. It was time anyway; it wasn't like she was going to hide it forever. The only thing that had been holding her back after telling her family was her fear of the school's reaction. They were relentless in harassing her; taking Vico's word over hers. When they found out she was pregnant it would only strengthen the rumors and she couldn't imagine what they would say or do.

She peeled her eyes away from the mirror and inhaled deeply. It was now or never. She made her way downstairs, where the smell of freshly cooked eggs assaulted her nostrils. Her stomach churned. Eggs had become an aversion of hers during the pregnancy.

"Good morning, love. Would you like some eggs?" Stef asked, nursing a mug of steaming coffee from her spot against the counter.

"No thanks." Callie wrinkled her nose as she shook her head. She opened the fridge and grabbed a jar of pickles before slipping onto the chair beside Brandon.

"Morning beautiful." He greeted, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"It's too early for your cuteness." Mariana announced as she strolled into the kitchen.

Jude watched his sister take bite of the pickle in her hand. "Are you eating pickles for breakfast?"

"It's what the baby wants." Callie shrugged as she pulled another pickle from the jar. She paused for a moment, cocking her head to the side. "Do we have sauerkraut?"

"Eww gross!" Jude gagged.

A laugh left Stef's lips as she grabbed a jar of sauerkraut from fridge and slid it before the young brunette. "Here sweets. It's going to be fun shopping for two pregnant women with weird cravings."

Brandon watched in amusement as his girlfriend scooped a forkful of sauerkraut into her mouth. She had a lot of cravings the past few weeks but it was mostly for ice cream, different types of fruit, pickles, and salsa. Her breakfast usually consisted of oatmeal or toast with whatever fruit she was craving that morning. She had never eaten sauerkraut and pickles straight from the jar especially at 7 in the morning. A smirk spread across his lips. "That's an interesting breakfast."

Callie glared at him, but a smile found her lips. "It's what the baby wants."

"Is that what you're wearing to school?" Lena asked, noting the teenager's fitted top. Callie had only worn fitted shirts in the house since telling the family. Anytime she was out she worn something baggy that hid her pregnant belly. She was undoubtedly pregnant in the shirt she was wearing today. It was a perfectly round bump protruding from her otherwise thin frame.

Calle glanced down at her stomach before nodding. "Uh yeah. I don't really have anything that'll hide it clean and it's getting too hard anyway. People are going to find out eventually."

Stef slid a glass of orange juice and a bottle of prenatal vitamin on the table in front of Callie. She rubbed her shoulder gently. "You let us know if anyone gives you trouble."

"Okay." Callie nodded.

The Fosters finished their breakfast before loading into Lena's car. The car ride proceeded as any other morning drive to school; Mariana and Jesus fighting over the front seat, Mariana and Brandon arguing over what music to listen to, and Jude and Jesus punching each other every time they spotted a punch buggy. Lena pulled into her usual spot after arriving at the school and they all piled out of the car.

Uneasiness swam in the pit of Callie's stomach as she entered the school. Other students stared and whispered as they passed by Callie. She could only imagine the thoughts running through everyone's minds. She was always the center of rumors and false assumptions. It was something she had grown accustomed to and she had let it roll off her shoulders. She hadn't cared that people thought she was a crazy, rebellious foster kid; she had bigger things to worry about like protecting Jude from being beaten and finding enough food to eat. She had a million things to worry about now too: the pregnancy, the custody battle, the upcoming trial, Vico still out on bail. But for some reason people believing she slept with Vico and Liam made her sick to her stomach. People calling her a slut or a whore hurt. Maybe it was because she felt like one; maybe it was because she felt like she was partly to blame for what happened to her.

"I have to go meet with my music teacher, but meet me in the music room for lunch?" Brandon asked Callie, earning a nod of agreement. "Don't listen to what anyone says, okay?"

She nodded again, watching him take off towards the staircase. Jude had already left for the middle school wing, Jesus took off to find Emma, and Lena stopped in a classroom to talk to a teacher, leaving just Mariana and Callie. The two made their way to their lockers together. Callie felt her stomach lurch as she saw Talia approaching her locker. She averted her eyes on her locker, pulling a book out and slipping it into her bag. Maybe Talia wouldn't notice her. But that hope was short lived.

"I thought you were trying to cover all that weight gain with those baggy clothes, but turns out you were hiding a _pregnancy_." Talia's voiced boomed throughout the crowded hall, earning the attention of nearby students. "Why am I not surprised? Whose is it? Vico? Liam? Brandon? Wyatt? Let me guess, you don't even know."

Her words stung. She _didn't_ know whose baby it was, but for different reasons that Talia was implying. She inhaled deeply and closed her locker. She tried to focus on closing her lock and ignore Talia, but she could see her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.

"It's pathetic really. Is it that hard to use a condom?" Talia snarled loudly, producing snickers from passing students.

She was trying not to let Talia's words get to her, but her comments were like pouring salt into her wounds. Her mind couldn't help but wander to that terrible night in the woods. She flinched when Mariana slammed her locker shut. The short brunette spun on her heels to face Talia with narrowed eyes. "She didn't have that choice, Talia."

"Stef provided Brandon with condoms when he and I were having sex so I don't think it was really that hard to use one."

Callie's stomach churned. She was aware of Talia and Brandon's relationship, but being reminded of it sickened her. It tugged at her insecurities of her inability to be intimate.

"She didn't have a choice, Talia. You don't get a choice when someone attacks you. What part of that don't you understand?" Mariana took a step closer to Talia, crossing in front of Callie. "Now leave before I kick your ass."

"Mariana." Callie warned, gently tugging on the fuming girl's arm. "It's not worth it."

"I feel bad for that baby having you as its mother." Talia glowered before spinning around and strutting down the hall.

Once again Callie tried to let the comment roll off her shoulders, but Talia knew how to pick at her insecurities without even knowing it. Talia was probably the worst of the girls. She was one of the few girls who would confront her to her face, while most of the other girls whispered behind her back. But she feared the reactions from the guys, especially the wrestling team. It was only five minutes into the school day and she already wanted to crawl away and hide.

"Are you okay?" Mariana asked.

Callie nodded a little too quickly as she pushed her hair behind her ears. "Yeah I'm fine."

"What she said isn't true. Don't listen to her or anyone, okay?"

Callie nodded again as she watched Mat approach their lockers. She smiled at the long-haired boy as he wrapped his arms around Mariana's waist and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. The two had finally become official shortly after the party. Callie was happy for her foster sister. Mat was a good guy and treated her well. "Hey Mat."

"Hey Callie, I was just talking about you with Brandon."

"What about?" Callie asked. Mat, along with Emma, knew about Callie and Brandon's relationship. They also knew about the pregnancy and had sworn to keep quiet about both. Although now they only had one secret to keep.

"He was just telling me to keep an eye on you in English. To make sure nobody bothers you since you aren't hiding the pregnancy anymore."

"Brandon loves you so much it's sickening." Mariana whispered with an eye roll before she looked to her boyfriend. "But you just missed Talia."

Mat shook his head. "I hope you know not to listen to a word that girl says. Or anyone for that matter. They don't know the truth."

"So I've been told." Callie sighed. "I'm going to get to class. I'll see you guys later."

Callie strolled down the hall, earning whispers and stares as she did so. Some were so blatantly obvious pointing at her stomach or dropping comments loudly. She counted down the minutes till lunch. Partly because she was excited to eat her tuna salad sandwich and three pickles that she had for lunch, but mostly because she was able to spend it with Brandon and away from the judgmental students.

When she made her way to English third period, she was greeted by a large, red A on her chair. They were reading the Scarlet Letter in English and Callie knew this was her peers comparing her to Hester. Several snickers met her ears as she stood before the chair. Her eyes glanced up to find the students behind her giggling.

"Really? This is pathetic!"

Callie whipped her head to find Mat standing beside her, shaking his head angrily.

"What is she banging you too?" One of the boys spoke up with a smirk.

"Be careful, Mat. She'll claim you raped her." One of Talia's friends chimed in.

Callie's shoulders dropped. How did Vico manage to turn the whole school against her? How was she supposed to convince a jury to convict him when practically the entire school believed him over her? She had returned to school with clear injuries- with evidence- and yet they still believed him. She met Mat's eyes with defeat. "It's fine."

"It's not fine." Mat ripped the piece of paper with the marking off the chair and crumbled it before tossing it into the garbage. "People need to grow up.'

"They're not going to." Callie sighed as she took her seat. The rest of English was spent with students muttering comments about Callie in relation to the classic novel's plot line. Although Mat yelled at a few students, Callie ignored every comment. Yet they still continued. She thought they would leave her alone if she didn't provide any reaction, but the reactions from other students seemed to be enough motivation.

By lunch time, the entire school was aware that Callie was pregnant and she was grateful to hide in the music room with Brandon. She made her way to her locker to put her morning book away. Her fingers fumbled with the lock, clicking it open after she spun in her combination. The locker spit open with countless condoms erupting and scattering on the floor. She stood frozen as laughter assaulted her ears. She moved to pick them up, but stopped when she realized her bump prohibited her from bending that low.

"It's a little late for those." A blonde sneered as she passed Callie with her giggling friends.

Callie didn't know what to do. She wanted to cry and she wasn't sure if it was from the utter defeat or the pregnancy hormones; probably a combination of both. But she knew she couldn't. Not here and not now. It would only give them more incentive. She jumped when she felt a large hand on her lower waist and she spun around to find Adam, one of the wrestlers, smirking at her. She pushed his hand away and took a step back. "Don't touch me."

"Let's go find an empty classroom. I'd say to take one of these, but I guess it doesn't really matter at this point." He held up one of the condoms as the smirk on his face widened.

"I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole." She spat, feeling her heart gallop steadily in her chest.

"Babe, you don't have to play shy. There's no hiding it anymore. We share on the wrestling team, so what's Vico's is mine." He winked, taking a step closer and erasing the space she had put between them.

She was against the lockers now with nowhere to go. Her heart was racing wildly and her hands grew clammy. He was too close. She blinked back images of Vico and Liam in the woods; their rough hands wandering her body hungrily, their teeth ripping at her flesh and scarring her skin forever. Her eyes darted the crowded halls. Plenty of students sauntered, but anybody who even batted their eyes towards her laughed and whispered, ignoring the panic in her eyes. She inhaled deeply in attempt to fill her chest with oxygen, but her lungs still screamed for air. "I'm not Vico's and I'm not yours. I'm not an object, you don't _share_ me. Now get out of my way."

"Hey, it's okay. I can give it to you rough like you love." He lowered his head so his face was inches from hers.

"I said, get out of my way, jackass." She spoke through gritted teeth and she swung her knee into his crotch, producing a pained groan from the wrestler. He bent over, stumbling backward slightly.

"You bitch!" Adam shouted, gaining the attention of every student in that hall.

Callie slammed her locker shut and started for the staircase, leaving behind the pile of condoms on the floor and Adam writhing in pain. Her feet moved quickly to the music room in attempt to avoid any more confrontations. The upstairs was quiet though with the majority of students heading outside for lunch. She opened the door to the music room quietly, meeting the harmonious sounds of a piano. She closed the door quietly behind her. Brandon was so deep into his piece that he didn't even hear the door open. A smile stretched Callie's lips as she listened to the beautiful piece. The anxiety and tension in her stomach eased. She hadn't heard Brandon play classical since he broke his hand. Brandon hit the wrong key before stopping and letting out a sigh of frustration.

"That was amazing."

Brandon spun around to find his girlfriend standing in front of the closed door. "Eh…it was okay."

Callie strolled into the room, dropping her bag on an empty chair. Brandon stood and pulled her into his arms before leaning down and planting a kiss on her lips. She smiled when he pulled away. "It sounded amazing to me. Plus, you're out of practice. What inspired you to play classical again?"

"I possibly have an audition to this really awesome music school for their summer program, Idyllwild." His hand came up to push Callie's curls behind her ears.

"That's incredible."

"Yeah I just don't know if I still have it in me. Plus, it'll be a lot over the summer and you're going to be super pregnant then."

"Super pregnant?" Callie raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Classical was your dream and if you have the opportunity you have to take it. Don't worry about me. I don't want to hold you back and I'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine."

"You're amazing. But let's just see if I get in first." He leaned down to peck her lips again. "So how is your day going."

Callie peeled her eyes away from Brandon's. She pulled out of his arms and grabbed her lunch bag from her bag. After pulling a chair over, she plopped down. The day was awful so far. "Uh…it's going."

Brandon searched her face as he pulled a chair up beside hers. "Can you be a little more specific? What happened?"

Callie recounted the day's events from Talia, to the stares and overheard comments, to English class, and finally the latest incident involving the condoms and Adam. She closed her eyes for a moment, practically feeling the anger radiating off Brandon. "I'm just…so tired of this."

Brandon reached into her lap to take her hand in his. "You know what happened. The people who matter to you know what happened."

"But even if they don't know the truth or don't want to believe it, why I am the one that gets shamed and Vico gets crowned a king? I mean suppose what everyone thinks was true. It still doesn't make it right of them to say and do what they're doing. I'm a slut because I'm a female, but he's a hero because he's a male?"

"No, it's doesn't make it right either way. It's an ugly double standard that needs to be changed." Brandon reached into his bag to pull out his own sandwich.

Callie nodded, unwrapping her sandwich from the tinfoil. She took a bite of the sandwich as Talia's words replay in her head. "Are you okay…with us not having sex?"

Brandon burrowed his eyebrows at the sudden change in the conversation. "Where is this coming from? Did someone say something to you?"

Callie glanced away, shrugging slightly. "No Talia just mentioned how you two were…together and I…we haven't and I don't know when we will."

"Callie…" Brandon began gently. "I'm not expecting you to do anything you're not comfortable with. I'll wait for you for as long as you need."

"I don't want to hold you back." She took interest in her sandwich, unable to meet Brandon's eyes.

"Hey, look at me." Brandon said softly, reaching out to gently lift her chin. He gazed into her chocolate eyes. "You are not holding me back. How many times do I have to tell you this? I want to be with you and nobody else. If anything, you inspire me to be a better man, to help people, to follow my dreams, to be brave."

Callie met Brandon's eyes with a small smile. Brandon was the ray of sunshine on a never-ending string of cloudy days. No matter how bad her days was going, he found a way to make her smile. No matter how insecure she felt, he found a way to reassure her. No matter how anxious she was, he found a way to ease it. "I love you."

"I love you too." Brandon leaned forward to capture her lips with his.

"I also love this sandwich." Callie grinned as she took another bite. Tuna salad had become a huge like of Callie's during the pregnancy. She only allowed herself to have it once a week though because of the mercury content, so she enjoyed it when she did have it.

Brandon laughed. "I feel like this baby is going to come out fat."

"Hey!" Callie nudged his arm playfully. "Fat babies are cute anyway."

"I'm just saying all this food must be going to her because it doesn't seem to go anywhere else."

Callie narrowed her eyes at him with a small smirk. "Nice save."

"I'm serious." Brandon chuckled. "But fat babies are indeed cute."

The two spent the rest of their lunch period in the music room, enjoying one another's presence. Callie was grateful for the distraction; she didn't have to think about the harassment from the school, the trial, or that she was being forced to see Robert after school for the first time she he found out about the pregnancy.

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter Robert returns…_

 _Review!_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Callie reluctantly followed her father into the house. She was greeted by Sophia, who came running at the sound of the door opening. Her eyes fell to Callie's stomach, her eyes widening slightly. She hadn't seen Callie in a couple of weeks; the last time she saw her the brunette was wearing a baggy shirt to hide the pregnancy. Now she was wearing a fitted shirt, showing her indeed pregnant body. "It's…it's true. You're really pregnant?"

"Soph, she just walked in the door. Let's not bombard her." Robert warned gently as he closed the door behind Callie.

Callie nodded as she placed a hand on her stomach. "It's true."

"And those guys really…" Sophia began, but her father shook his head as he shot her a warning glance.

Callie shifted uncomfortably. Apparently, Robert shared everything with the young teenager. "Yup."

"Why don't you let me and Callie talk for a little while, okay?" Robert suggested as he started for the living room. Sophia frowned, but nodded before disappearing upstairs.

Callie took a seat on the chair in the living room. Her feet and back ached as it did on most days lately. Her stomach knotted as Robert sat on the couch. He wanted to talk to her alone. She feared where this conversation was going. Was he going to the judge about something? Was he going to try to convince her to get rid of the baby. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I've been thinking constantly since you told me everything that happened. It makes me sick to think about what you went through- what you are going through. I also can't imagine what it was like to be thrown around from home to home. You've really had no say it what happens to you, huh?"

Callie shook her head as a humorless laugh escaped her lips. She had no control over her life since her mother died. She was forced from abusive home to abusive home. She was forced to grow up at the age of ten. She was forced to protect Jude. She was forced to lose her virginity. She was forced to go to juvie. She was forced to have sex against her will. She was forced into pregnancy. This list went on and on. "No. I've been forced into pretty much everything in my life."

Robert frowned. He didn't know Callie before she had endured so much pain and heartache in her life. He didn't know what she was like before that, but he certainly knew she didn't deserve it. And he couldn't comprehend how the girl sitting before him was still so strong, so selfless, so loving after all that she had been through. "I want you to live with me. I want to be your father, but more than that I want you to be happy. I don't want to take another choice away from you. I don't want to be like everyone else that has hurt you."

Callie let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't believe the words she was hearing. Robert slid a pile of papers on the table; abandonment papers with his signature engraved at the bottom. Callie blinked to make sure her eyes weren't playing a trick.

"I signed the papers."

"You are still my dad, you know. And you always will be. I want a relationship with you. Sophia and Jill too." Calle shifted in her chair. "There's um…something I should tell you though."

Robert leaned forward. "You can tell me anything, Callie."

"I uh…I've been seeing Brandon."

Robert stared blankly. He opened his mouth, but no words came out for a moment. "Seeing him? As in dating? Do…do Stef and Lena know?"

"Yes, dating him. Since New Year's. They didn't know for a while. They found out when you said you wouldn't sign the papers." Callie began slowly. She wasn't sure how telling him would turn out. The fear of him going straight to the judge with this information was still there, but after hearing his speech today she couldn't imagine him doing so. And she was tired of keeping secrets. "It's kind of a long story, but Brandon and I fell for each other when I first came to live with them. We started something while I was at Girls United. Stef and Lena had forbidden it, but we snuck around before I thought I needed a family more than a boyfriend. We tried to stop loving each other, but it didn't work. And so, after the night that…that I was attacked, I guess we both realized how much we loved each other and that was never going to change. He's been amazing through all of this and honestly I don't know how I would be dealing without him."

"Okay wow…" Robert let out a puff of air as he tried to process the news. The girl before him seemed to drop a new bomb every time her saw her. "I mean honestly it kind of makes sense. You two were always together and seemed close. But I thought you've been fighting to have the Fosters adopt you? I mean they can't adopt you if you're with Brandon. That would make you guys siblings."

"I know, it's the reason we broke up the first time. But I realized that Brandon is my true happiness and that I'd be willing to sacrifice adoption for that, but I'm not willing to sacrifice Brandon for adoption. So, the plan was for the Fosters to just continue to foster me. I wanted the papers signed so there was no chance of being pulled from the house by you, but then you were fighting for custody and so Stef's plan was to get me emancipated, but that was before she knew I was pregnant. She said she still has a plan, but I'm not really sure what." Callie explained. Stef continued to tell her not to worry that she had more than one plan to keep Callie in the house, but Callie wasn't sure if she was just telling her that. "But now I don't know. I mean even if you withdraw your rights, I think the judge is going to investigate as to why the Fosters aren't going through with the adoption. And 18 is still over a year away. I don't know if me and Brandon can hide our relationship that long."

"Callie, you're so young. You have your whole life ahead of you and you don't know what's going to happen. Do you really want to throw something so big away for a boy? I mean what happens if you guys break up in a year?"

"I get where you're coming from, but I'm not a normal teenager." Callie began. She understood his reasonings; it was similar to Stef and Lena's responses to her decisions too. But the adults didn't see the trueness of the relationship. All they saw was how young they were. "This is real. Since Mom died, my life has been miserable with one bad thing after another. The Fosters in general have brought me happiness, but especially Brandon. After everything I've been through, I honestly didn't think I'd be able to trust someone or feel safe with someone, but I do. I trust Brandon more than anyone and he makes me feel so safe. I mean he wants to be a father to this baby without me even asking. What other seventeen-year-old boy do you know that would do that in this situation?"

"I don't think many would." Robert agreed. Most teenage boys wouldn't stick around if they had been the ones to get their girlfriends pregnant. Grown men had left their girlfriends or wives after finding out they were pregnant. So, Brandon voluntarily wanting to raise that baby of his girlfriend that was a result of rape was pretty remarkable. "I'll take your word, but what does this mean? I mean if I sign these papers and the judge investigates why the Fosters aren't adopting you, what happens if he finds out about you and Brandon? Can't they place you in a random foster home?"

Callie's stomach lurched at just the thought of being placed in another foster home. Out of the seven homes she had been placed in, the Fosters was the only loving and safe one. The other six had been dangerous; she had even feared being killed in the last one before the Fosters. She wouldn't have Jude to look after this time, but even worse she would have a baby. The only family that would take in a teenager with a baby and the file she had would be a family just looking to cash their monthly check, which often resulted in an abusive home. "Uh yeah I guess it is possible. I mean that's why Stef supposedly has some plan, but I'm not sure if she actually does. Emancipation would have been ideal, but it's nearly impossible to do when you're pregnant."

"Am I really that bad to live with?" Robert asked with a small grin.

"No." Callie shook her head. "It's not that I don't want to live with you or want a relationship with you, it's just…the Fosters feel like home. Since my mother died, that was the only home that made me feel loved and safe. I'm tired of changing homes. I don't want to adjust again. Jude is there too and I know most people don't live with their boyfriends this young, but knowing Brandon is down the hall has made dealing with everything so much easier. He's the one who knows how to help me after a nightmare, he knows how to get me out of a panic attack, he knows when I start going down a dark path."

"You should be a lawyer." Robert chuckled. Any doubt he had, she managed to convince him otherwise. "What if…I legally had custody of you, but you still lived with the Fosters?"

Callie thought about his proposition for a moment. "You would do that?"

"Like I said, I just want you to be happy. I don't want to take another choice away from you. As long as you continue to have a relationship with me."

"Of course." Callie pushed herself off the chair and moved to sit beside Robert. She wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in a hug. Tears welled in her eyes as she pulled away. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means. I'll obviously have to talk to Stef and Lena. And I promise I will see you at least once a week or call everyday if you want. I really do want a relationship with you."

"I hope those are happy tears." Robert laughed.

Callie nodded with a smile as she wiped at her dampened cheeks. It was amazing how easily she cried lately. "Yes. Pregnancy hormones."

"I'll never forget when Jill was about six months pregnant with Sophia, I finished the jar of pickles one night and then later in the night she went to have one and she sobbed when she found out there was none. I felt so bad. I had to drive 40 minutes to a 24 hour market that sold the specific type she wanted." Robert reminisced about that very night.

A laugh escaped Callie's lips as she placed a hand over her stomach. She could definitely see herself crying in that situation. "Brandon's gone on plenty of craving runs already. I don't even ask though. If I say I'm craving something, he already has the car keys in his hand."

"He seems like a good guy."

"He is." Callie nodded with a grin. Good was an understatement. There were no words to describe just how amazing Brandon was.

"I'm going to have to come after him if he breaks your heart though." Robert grinned, partly joking and partly serious.

"I don't think he will." Callie smiled. Her smile widened when she felt her stomach tumbling. "I swear she kicks every time I talk about Brandon."

Robert confirmed Callie's pregnancy over a week ago now, but he was still struggling to wrap his mind around it. "She's kicking?"

Callie nodded. "Do you want to feel?"

"Sure."

Callie took Robert's hand and placed it on the right side of her bump. "She's a daddy's little girl already. She always kicks like crazy for Brandon."

"Sophia used to do the same to me and she is indeed a daddy's little girl." Robert grinned as he felt the small jolt against his hand. "I want you to know that the baby is welcome here anytime when she is born and I'd be happy to babysit or help in any way that you need."

A small sigh of relief escaped Callie's lips. One of her biggest fears was people rejecting the baby because of the circumstances. It had been a huge relief when Brandon and the rest of the family accepted her. But she didn't yet know how Robert, Jill, and Sophia would feel about her. "Thank you. That means a lot."

* * *

Callie followed Brandon into the kitchen after they entered the house. Stef and Lena were in the kitchen, finishing cleaning up from dinner. Stef turned at the sound of footsteps, holding a plate and a towel. "Hey, we missed you two at dinner. Did you guys enjoy your dinner out?"

"Callie sure did." Brandon teased with a grin.

Callie slapped him playfully, before placing her hand on her bump. "I'm eating for two here."

Lena laughed, completely understanding passion for food, increased appetite, and weird cravings. "Well there's leftovers in the fridge in case you get hungry again later."

"She will be." Brandon smirked, earning another nudge from his girlfriend. He let out a chuckle before wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm just teasing."

"B, you don't want to upset the pregnant women." Stef winked at her son with a grin.

"That's right." Lena nodded in agreement.

Callie hesitated for a moment. "There's uh something I have to tell you guys."

Stef's stomach dropped and she placed the plate she was holding down, bracing herself. Anytime Callie started a conversation like that a bomb was dropped and Stef wasn't sure if she could handle anymore. "Is this something as big as you dating Brandon or being pregnant?"

"I don't think so." Callie said. "It has to do with Robert."

"Let me sit first." Stef moved to sit at the kitchen table, Lena following her actions.

"He signed the abandonment papers so I told him about me and Brandon. Long story short, he offered to have legal custody, but allow me to continue living here. He said he wouldn't parent me in any way unless you wanted him to. He just wants a relationship with me."

Stef opened her mouth, but no words came out. She exchanged glances with Lena, both trying to comprehend the news. Stef shifted forward in her chair. "Okay wow…I mean I'm thrilled that he's offered this and is willing to listen to your wants, but I just…suppose he changes his mind and then he has custody and there is absolutely nothing we can do?"

"Then worst-case scenario I have to go live with Robert, but I'll be safe. Right now, we're risking me being placed in a random foster home if the judge finds out about me and Brandon. And I don't think he'll suddenly change his mind. He's realized that I've had absolutely no control over anything in my life and he doesn't want to be another person to force something on me." Callie said. "Emancipation is out and I know you keep telling me you are working on things, but can you honestly tell me you have any other way?"

Stef pursed her lips. "Not at the moment, but I'm looking into things. I mean there are factors to think about with this Robert thing. Medical decisions, insurance, financial aspects."

"But that's the only option to stay in this house. The only other option is to live with Robert. He can't sign the papers and leave you guys to foster me because the judge is going to investigate why we're not going through with the adoption. Plus, me and Brandon can't hide our relationship forever."

Guilt swam in Brandon's stomach. He felt responsible for this dilemma; he was the reason Callie couldn't be adopted. "What if I moved in with Dad? Couldn't you just continue to foster her then?"

Stef opened her mouth, but Callie beat her to it. "No. You're not moving out. If anyone moves out it would be me. I'm pretty sure the judge would still see an issue with it anyway."

"I don't want to be the cause of you not staying in this house though."

Callie shook her head, reaching out to take his hand in hers. "You're not. Please don't feel guilty about this. I told you, I can handle living with Robert, but I can't handle not being with you."

Stef and Lena exchanged glances once again, sharing each other's thoughts silently. They had both been weary on their decision to support this relationship. Both had feared it would be short lived and something so huge would be sacrificed for nothing. But after the two stopped hiding their relationship at home, they observed first hand on just how much the two loved each other.

"But I can't go to another foster home. I have Melody to think about and I can't take risk of her in foster care so it's either Robert's solution or I live with Robert." Callie placed the hand that wasn't holding Brandon's over her stomach. Any time she thought of being in a new foster home either pregnant or with a baby she felt nauseous.

"You're not going to another foster home. I'm not going to allow that to happen to Melody or you. Your safety matters too, Cal." Stef was concerned for Callie's disregard for herself. The young brunette was constantly worrying about everyone else's wellbeing. She thought back to that night they rescued Jude when Callie first came to live with them. Callie risking her life to save her brother was the first time they had seen Callie's selflessness. Stef later told the girl that she wasn't worthless or disposable, but now almost a year later, Stef didn't know if Callie ever absorbed that message. "Let me and Mama discuss this further and talk to Robert about this too."

"This may be a crazy idea, but what if we got married? Wouldn't that automatically emancipate her?"

Stef's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "Are you serious, B?"

Callie couldn't help the smile that found her lips. The thought of marrying Brandon now was crazy, yet it didn't scare her. And it didn't seem to scare him either as he met her eyes and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Just think about it for a minute. It would automatically emancipate her and then she could continue to live here."

"You need parental permission for that." Lena spoke up. "And it would look really bad if we agreed to that. I don't know if the judge would even accept our approval."

"Couldn't Robert consent?" Callie suggested.

"Are you two insane?" Stef's eyes grew wide as she looked at the two teenagers incredulously. "You haven't even finished high school!"

"Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't be getting married yet. But it's going to happen eventually anyway so if it'll guarantee Callie staying here then why not?"

Stef held her hand up to stop the idea from growing. "Let me and Mama talk about everything. We need to talk to Robert about this too, okay? I'll get in touch with him tomorrow."

 _Callie and Brandon both nodded. Callie didn't care exactly how it happened, but she needed a finalized net; something that wouldn't allow for her to be placed in another foster home and still be with Brandon. And she knew it needed to happen soon because the trial was approaching and she knew the defense would uncover any secrets they could._

 _Thanks for reading! I feel like I have to keep apologizing for the delay. I was taking a summer course, which was intense and left me little time to write. It has finished now so should have plenty of free time to write. I've gotten a few requests on things people want to see and I just want to remind people that I am open to ideas, especially if you want to just see a scene between two characters. I will try to incorporate if I can, but just be patient as it may not happen for several chapters._

 _Foster's Finale: Loved seeing them grown up, but I was not happy that Brandon married Eliza. I'm probably biased because I want Brallie. My problem with it was that they made it seem as though they were going to get together and they made us dislike Eliza. If they didn't tease it, I probably wouldn't have been upset. I am so sad the show has come to an end, but I am really excited for the spin off._

 _Review!_


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Hey juvie girl."

Callie closed her eyes for a moment. The only people that called her that were the guys on the wrestling team and the guys are the wresting team were relentless with harassing her. The halls were empty and quiet with classes being in session. Callie had a free period and was on her way to meet Brandon in the music room, but needed to stop by her locker first. She remained facing her locker, hoping that whoever it was would leave her alone if she ignored them. Her body flinched as his large hand slammed her locker shut. She whipped her head around to meet the eyes of Tommy Walker. Her entire body went tense. He was the leader of the harassment and Vico's best friend. Callie wasn't sure what he was capable of, but she certainly did not want to find out.

"I'm talking to you." He growled as his eyes narrowed at her.

Callie swallowed thickly as she felt her pulse steadily rise. "What do you want?"

"I spoke with Vico yesterday." A smug smirk found his lips as he leaned against the lockers.

Callie tensed at the mention of his name. She didn't want to hear what this was about. She moved to walk passed Tommy, but he latched onto her upper arm, stopping her in her tracks. Images of Vico and Liam flashed through her mind. "Let go of me."

"Don't walk away from me. I told you, I spoke to Vico yesterday." He repeated through gritted teeth.

Her stomach knotted as she glanced at the tight hold on her arm. She was too familiar with that painful grip. Her eyes scanned the empty hallways. There was no sign of help. Panic rose in her chest, but she attempted to remain hard on the outside. If she had learned anything from all the abuse she suffered, it was that fear only motivated the abuser. "I don't care what he has to say."

Tommy released his grip on her arm. "Oh, I think you will when I tell you he's planning on fighting for custody when you lose the case if you don't drop the charges."

Callie froze. Her face turned a ghostly shade of white. Her hands grew clammy, yet her body felt so cold. Oxygen escaped her lungs. Her throat felt like it was closing. Custody. Vico wanted custody over her child; her innocent little baby girl.

"See ya." Tommy winked with a grin before strolling down the hall.

Callie watched him turn the corner, disappearing from her sight. Her trembling hands came up to rest on her stomach. Her feet remained glued to the spot she was standing in. Her limbs felt paralyzed. Her chest burned as her heart pounded against it. She was very aware that Vico didn't actually want custody. He didn't want a relationship with a child. He didn't want to raise a baby. He didn't want to be there to watch her learn to talk, to take her first steps, to grow. He wanted custody for revenge. Callie's love and protectiveness for others was obvious and Vico knew that was the best way to mess with her. The vibration of her phone in her pocket snapped her from her thoughts. She pulled her phone out and swiped to open the message.

 _Brandon- Are you still meeting me? Getting worried_

Callie dropped her phone into her bag and started for the stairs. She threw the door open to the music room. Relief washed over her when she locked eyes with Brandon's concerned ones as he spun around on the piano bench to face her.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Brandon could see the panic in her eyes as she closed the door.

She made her way over to the piano and leaned against the window ledge. "T-Tommy Walker stopped me in the hall."

Brandon stood with his fists clenched by his sides. That name made his blood boil. Nothing ever good came when Tommy Walker interacted with Callie. "What did he do?"

"It's what he said. He…he spoke with…Vico, who told him he's going to fight me for custody." Callie placed her hands on her bump again as if to protect her unborn baby. Just speaking the words aloud made her stomach tumble with nausea.

"What? That's ridiculous? He doesn't have any rights." Brandon moved so he was standing beside her.

"He doesn't have any rights if he gets convicted, but if he doesn't then he…he could at the minimum have visitation rights. I can't…I can't let him anywhere near her. I can't do this. She can't…" Callie rambled as her breathing shallowed.

Brandon stretched his arm behind her to rub soothing circles on her back. "Hey, take some deep breaths. He's not going anywhere near her ever because he is going to be convicted."

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. "You don't know that."

"Hey, look at me." Brandon said softly. He turned to face her as his hand came up to cup her cheek. His loathing towards Vico and Liam intensified every time he saw Callie cry. "The lawyers were telling them to take a plea. They only do that when they have no shot. There's so much evidence, you were in the hospital for a week. And these aren't injuries that someone can chalk up to falling down the stairs or something. I'm telling you, worst case scenario is they don't get charged with everything, but they get charged with something. And that is enough that even if he were to fight you for custody, the judge wouldn't give him any rights."

Callie closed her eyes as she leaned into Brandon's touch. His words were comforting, but there was still a small part of her that couldn't shake the anxiety. She believed him; she understood there was a lot of evidence, but part of her didn't trust the legal system because it had failed her so many times before. She couldn't bear the thought of Vico coming anywhere near her daughter. And as much as she had grown from the girl who would run, she couldn't help but consider the idea if Vico actually pursued this.

Brandon wiped the tear that escaped her eye with the pad of his thumb. "He's trying to scare you, but I promise you I would kill him with my bare hands before he came anywhere near the baby. I'm not going to let that happen. We don't…we don't even know if it's his."

Callie peeled her eyes away from Brandon with shame. It was a moot point if Vico wasn't biologically the father, but she didn't doubt that he would then convince Liam to fight for custody. They wanted revenge; they wanted to hurt her in any way possible. She had to swallow the bile rising in her throat and the thought of either of them with her daughter. "So, if it isn't, then I'm sure Liam will fight for custody."

"No judge is going to grant either of them custody. Especially once they're both in jail with a slew of charges. And I promise you I would not let that happen, okay?"

Callie inhaled deeply as she nodded against his hand.

Brandon pushed her curls behind her ears before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. "I love you."

"I love you too." She whispered against his lips. A small smile spread across her lips. She reached for Brandon's hand and placed it on the left side her stomach. "She's kicking."

Brandon grinned as he felt the small jolt beneath his hand. He bent down so his face was level with her stomach. He felt her kick so many times and yet every time was just as exciting. "Hey baby girl. Are you telling Mommy not to worry? She loves you so much. I love you so much too."

Callie's heart swelled as she watched Brandon talk to her belly. She was so grateful for him. He had been so great with her through all of this, she wasn't sure she would have made it without him. A small giggle escaped her lips as she felt her stomach tumbling. "She's doing somersaults in here for you."

Brandon's grin widened. He pressed a gentle kiss to her stomach before standing up straight. "It's so weird to love someone so much when you haven't even met them yet."

Tears shone in Callie's eyes. She had seen Brandon become excited about the baby. She had seen him feel and talk to her belly. They had bought things for her together, picked out her name together. She knew Brandon was in this one hundred percent and embraced the role of fatherhood. But hearing him admit that he loved Melody made her heart flutter.

"What's wrong?" Brandon asked nervously as he saw the tears welling in her eyes.

"No. no, they're happy tears." Callie reassured. She seemed to cry with every emotion lately. "I just…you're amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

Brandon reached out to take one of her hands in his own. "I think the same thing about you every day."

Callie burrowed her eyebrows as she tilted her head slightly. How did he feel like the lucky one? _She_ had to be the lucky one in this relationship. Her mother died, which caused her to be bounced around from abusive home to abusive home. Nobody wanted her. She became the trashy, reckless foster girl. She was assaulted more than once. She as used, she was dirty, she was damaged goods. Brandon was not. Brandon was the handsome, caring gentleman with a clean past. And yet he still chose her. He knew all she had been through. He knew the baggage she came with. He knew everything, but he still loved her. She was the one who didn't deserve him.

"Why do you look so shocked?"

"Because _I'm_ the lucky one in this relationship. _I'm_ the one that doesn't deserve you." She replied. Brandon could tell she was absolutely convinced by her words and it tore at his heart.

"Callie…" Brandon sighed. "You couldn't be further from the truth."

"I'm a mess, Brandon and you're as close to perfect as you can get."

"Cal, you are an amazing person. I love all of you, every single thing about you. The way you fight back after everything you've been through, the strength that you have, your passion, the way you protect everyone, how you are always thinking about everyone else, how you open your heart to everyone and everything, how you always want to help, the way your smile lights up the entire room, how I could stare at you all day long because you're so beautiful, how I fall in love with you all over again every day. The list goes on and on." Brandon knew Callie's low self-esteem was an effect of the trauma she had been through. One bad thing after another continued to happen to the young brunette. She suffered abuse for seven years from a variety people. They told her she was worthless, that she was to blame for everything, that she was at fault, that she deserved it. Eventually those words became engrained in her mind and she believed them. Especially when it happened so many times from so many different people. "You are the most beautiful person I have ever met inside and out. I'm just a regular guy, but I'm a better person because of you. And I know you don't believe me because you've been told otherwise for so long, but I promise you I will spend the rest of my life showing you how beautiful you are."

Tears slowly trickled down Callie's cheeks as she beamed. In this moment she forgot about all the pain and suffering; even if it was just temporary. She felt loved, truly loved. Somehow Brandon made her feel more loved with each day. After her time at the Olmstead's, she wasn't sure if she would ever find someone that would love her romantically. She was tainted. That fear only intensified after the winter ball. And yet Brandon was here confessing everything he loved about he,r knowing all she had been through. Although she didn't see truth in the things he saw in her, she had no doubt that he truly meant them. Callie wouldn't consider herself a lucky person. In fact, she considered herself to have terrible luck. The never-ending string of terrible, traumatic events in her life didn't happen to lucky people. Yet somehow, she was lucky enough to find Brandon; to find the light in her very, very dark world.

Callie reached up to connect their lips. Her hands snaked around his neck, while his draped around her waist, both pulling the other closer. Their supple lips danced together slowly at first, and then with intensity that took their breaths away. Brandon's tongue gently parted Callie's as her fingers came up to grip his soft curls. Their bodies melted into one another. They both gazed into one another's eyes when their lips finally separated.

A smirk stretched Brandon's lips as he reached up to push a strand hair behind Callie's ear. "I'm sure Mama would love to know we're making out in the music room."

A laugh left Callie's lips as she nudged him playfully. "Well when you go around saying romantic stuff like that."

"I guess we should be more careful too in case someone walked in." Brandon said, although his hands remained wrapped around her waist. "I can't wait to tell the world that you're mine."

Callie couldn't wait to stop hiding their relationship as well. There were so many times she wanted to hold his hand, peck his cheek, wrap her arm around him while in public and they couldn't. Even when they went out together they had to stray from affectionate behavior unless they were far from town.

Callie's hands slid down to his chest as she reached up to peck his lips. "Hopefully soon. Stef and Lena are meeting with Robert tonight. I just want this to be sorted out. There's so much unknown right now. And I know it's really unlikely, but this custody thing is still going to freak me out."

"I know. But I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure everything works out. And I can promise you whatever happens, you will still have me." Brandon said softly before a grin stretched his lips. "You're stuck with me."

"You're stuck with me too, Foster."

* * *

Callie entered the house, Brandon following behind her, to find Stef and Lena waiting in the living room. Stef stood when she saw the pregnant brunette. "Uh we have to talk to you."

Callie exchanged nervous glances with Brandon. It was never a good thing when Stef or Lena started a conversation like that, especially since they had been waiting there for her to return home. "What's up?"

"The judge wants to see us."

 _Thanks for reading! A bit of a cliff hanger-next chapter we find out why the judge wants to see them…_

 _Review!_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Callie stood on trembling legs between Stef and Lena in the small office. Robert and Jill stood to the left; all of them unware to the reasons behind this meeting. Callie's eyes wandered the room, from the books on the shelf to the frames and files sprawled across the desk as she waited anxiously for the judge to arrive. Her clammy hands moved to rest on her bump, trying to focus on the tumbling in her stomach. It was almost as though Melody knew she needed a distraction, but no matter how much she tried to focus on the feeling of her kicking, her mind strayed to the anxious thoughts consuming her.

Her main fear was that the judge discovered her relationship with Brandon and he was going to toss her in another foster home. But would he call Robert and Jill in for that too? If that was the case, maybe he could just force her to live with the Quinns. Or maybe he was just checking for any updates about decisions. But he wouldn't call them in at such short notice.

Callie's muscles tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps. Her head moved towards the door to find the judge entering, nursing a mug of steaming coffee. Callie couldn't help but feel anger towards the man. He made them wait in his office anxiously so he could get a cup of coffee.

"Hello, thank you for meeting me on short notice." He greeted as he placed the mug on his desk and took a seat in his chair. The adults all nodded with a small smile, but Callie couldn't find it in her to be gracious. He pointed at Callie. "It's come to my attention that Callie is expecting, and this seems to be confirmed, correct?"

Callie nodded, slightly relieved. Finding out about the pregnancy was better than finding out about Brandon, but she still didn't know what this meant. "Yes sir."

"Does this have an effect on anything?" Stef asked.

"Well, I am aware of the past history between Callie and your son, Brandon, and so I have to ask who the father of this child is."

Callie froze for a moment. Too much was happening in that one response. Her relationship with Brandon and her daughter's biological father was being questioned. Her throat felt as though it was closing, blocking oxygen from filling her lungs. "I'm…it was…it was from the assault."

He pursed his lips as he nodded. "I see, except that has not yet been confirmed. So I'm concerned about your behavior."

Callie felt her heart sink to her stomach. He didn't take her word; he was making judgements from her file.

Stef felt her own anger rise in her chest at his implications. "Sir, we're in the process of incriminating both boys with multiple charges. The defense was advising a plea and keeps pushing off the trial in attempt to find some sort of loophole. All of the evidence is there. Callie was in the hospital for a week, with injuries that almost killed her. She is still suffering from physical ailments from the assault, as well as a pregnancy, and emotional effects. Callie's behavior is not a problem, which is actually a shock after all she has been through."

"I understand, but I have to abide by the law which states innocent until proven guilty. And Callie has a history. How far along are you, Callie?"

"Twenty-six weeks." She said curtly.

"So that does put you around the time of the event. What are your plans for this child?"

Callie's stomach knotted further. Would he take her baby away from her? He clearly saw her as a rebellious, troublesome teenager; was that enough for him to evoke custody? "I'm keeping her."

"I see." He nodded as his eyes glanced down to the papers on his desk.

"May I ask what this has to do with anything?" Robert spoke up.

"I think it would be in everyone's best interest that Callie resides with the Quinn's if she is going to be raising a baby."

The room fell eerily quiet for a moment as the Fosters and Quinn processed the judge's words. Everyone needed to be careful about their words. Callie was the one to break the silence. "Fine, whatever. I'm done fighting because you're only going to see it your way anyway."

Callie felt Stef place a hand on her arm and she wasn't sure if it was meant to be comforting or a warning.

"Watch your tone, Miss. Jacob." The judge warned with raised eyebrows.

"I'm sorry if you don't like my tone, sir, but if you would take a second to see things from my perspective. Whatever you have in those files is from the side of the people that abused, starved, or neglected me and my brother. Yes, I smashed my foster father's car because he was _beating_ my little brother. I would do it all over again if it meant keeping Jude safe. I've had no control over my life. My mother died and my life turned to hell. I was tossed around from one abusive foster home to an even worse one for seven years. And then I finally find a safe, loving home and I may not even be able to stay there. So, I'm sorry, but I think you can see my frustrations. I've been fighting for the past eight years and I just can't do it anymore." Calle was tired of fighting. She had been fighting for seven years to keep Jude safe, fighting to keep them together, fighting to find a family. And once she finally found the Fosters, she still somehow had to fight; this time to stay in a safe home as well as her safety from Vico and Liam.

"I see your frustrations, but this isn't as simple as granting you what you want. And I don't see how the Adam's Fosters are fit for making room for another baby with four kids and a baby of their own on the way."

Stef cleared her throat. Anger coursed through her veins with every word the judge spoke, but she remained respectful. "Your honor, my wife and I are making arrangements. We've been in contact with our twins' birth father, who works in construction. He's been helping us do some work on the house. We can accommodate Callie and her baby."

He pursed his lips once again. "Why don't we increase Callie's visits with the Quinns to two days a week and we'll meet again in a few weeks."

Callie stared blankly, letting the adult in the room respond. She heard Stef and Robert both reply to his decision, but she remained silent. She knew if she did open her mouth, it would more than likely get her in trouble. She was tired of waiting. She was tired of decisions being made for her. She was tired of constantly fighting.

The ride home was silent with the exception of the radio playing softly. Stef glanced at the brunette in the back through her mirror every now and then. Each time, she found her staring out the window with a drawn expression. It wasn't until she heard a small sniffle that she glanced at up and found Callie's cheeks painted with tears in the reflection. "What's wrong, Callie?"

Lena glanced at her wife before turning her head back to find the teenager crying. It was quite shocking to see her crying. For the months Callie had been with the Fosters before the winter ball, they had seen her cry maybe three times. It was part of the tough image she had to develop in her time in foster care. Crying made her vulnerable and added fuel to the fire in an abusive home. After the winter ball, Stef and Lena had witnessed multiple breakdowns, but it was usually following a panic attack or some sort of trigger. The pregnancy also made her most susceptible to crying, but again there was some sort of trigger. Lena wasn't sure if she ever just found the young girl crying.

"Why are you crying, bug?" Lena asked softly

Callie wiped at her dampened cheeks, feeling shameful that she was caught crying. "I'm sorry…I…I don't know. I'm just tired of all of this."

"All of what, sweets?" Stef asked. She could probably create a list of all the things Callie was referring to, but she wanted to hear it from the girl herself. The walls Callie put up were nearly indestructible, but they needed to chip away at them when the opportunity rose.

"Of fighting, of having absolutely no control, of being judged on a file that isn't true." Callie wiped at her cheeks as tears continued to trickle down them. She was exhausted physically and mentally. There was always a constant anxiety consuming her and she just wanted a break from it. She just wanted things to go right for once, to feel safe, to have a permanent home, to have some sort of control.

"Oh, my love." Stef sighed sadly. She felt her heart twinge for the pain the young girl was constantly enduring. At nearly seventeen, Callie was dealing with things nobody should ever have to deal with. Most teenagers her age were focusing on college, and instead Callie had to worry about raising a child, convicting the boys that raped her, and staying in a safe home. It was heartbreaking to hear the defeat in the brunette's voice; Callie never stopped fighting no matter how difficult things became. Yet, Stef completely understood. There was only so much one person could take. "We're going to settle this."

"I think we should just let Robert have custody. Even if you guys don't want to work something out where I can still live with you. I'll just live with him then. I just need this to be over with. I can't risk going to another foster home with Melody." Callie's heart quickened every time she thought of going to a new foster or group home while pregnant or with a baby.

"You're not going to another foster home. If the judge found out about you and Brandon, he would probably just give Robert rights. If they did place you in a foster home, we would set you up with Rita." Stef reassured, noting that once again Callie's worry was about someone else's safety and not her own.

"And you're sure about choosing Brandon? There's only so far we can fight for you with this relationship." Lena asked gently. She was already pretty certain of Callie's answer.

"Yes. That's not even up for debate. I can handle living with Robert, I can't handle not being with Brandon." Callie said adamantly. "So I just don't see why there's really any point in dragging this out longer. There's no way around this. Robert is going to get custody no matter how this ends."

"It buys us longer time to keep you in the house and maybe come up with another plan." Stef said as she pulled into the driveway.

"But Robert is letting me stay in the house even if he has custody. He already promised to give you guys full parental rights and he'll only step in if you guys want." Callie clicked her seatbelt off as Stef pushed the car into park.

"It may be our best option, Stef. It's a safer bet than the judge pulling her out. I mean we hope Robert sticks to his word, which he probably will because he loves Callie, but if he doesn't, at least she's safe and she'll still be here. She'll still have a relationship with us." Lena reached across her lap to unbuckle her own seatbelt.

Stef let out a puff of air as her hand fell from the steering wheel. She wished there was a simpler solution. "Alright, if that's what you want, Callie. We'll finish talking to Robert, but you're right, I guess we don't need to drag this out. We just want you to be happy and safe."

"And I will be if I'm with Brandon, know that Melody is safe, and can still have relationship with all of you guys." Callie wanted to continue living with the Fosters. It felt like home. Of course she loved that Brandon was right down the hall, but she also loved living with everyone else. They had a certain dynamic that was comforting, loving, safe. Someone was always around to talk, they had dinner together nearly every night, they often sat down together to watch a movie or huddled on Stef and Lena's bed to play a game. She wanted nothing more to continue her relationship with Brandon and live with the Fosters, but she was willing to take the risk of Robert not following through with his word and being forced to live with him. The Quinn's didn't quite have the same dynamic nor did they feel like home, but they were still good people, they loved Callie, and she would be safe. It was a much safer alternative than risking being moved to another foster home or group home; one that would more than likely be abusive.

Stef turned off the car. "Okay. We'll talk to Robert and see when we can meet with the judge again."

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Will the judge agree to their plan? Will Robert stick to his word? Find out next chapter!_

 _Review!_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

It felt like déjà vu as Callie stood before the desk of the judge, Stef and Lena, and Robert, Jill, and Sophia surrounding her. Her hands were clammy and her stomach knotted with anxiety. This time however, she knew the reason why they were standing in the judge's office. She didn't know however, how the judge was going to react. It should proceed smoothly as the judge was biased towards the Quinns anyway. However, Callie couldn't help but feel as though the judge would somehow mess up their plan. Nothing seemed to ever go right for her after all.

"So Callie, I hear you've decided you want to live with Robert. Is this true?"

Callie swallowed thickly. Her legs felt like jelly. This was it; there was no going back after this. "Yes."

"You're sure about this decision?"

"Yes." She repeated. She refrained from saying anything more because she knew what she wanted to say would get her into trouble. She was so close to no longer being a ward of the state; so close to ending her journey of foster homes forever. She couldn't risk it now.

"Okay well then I'm officially placing you with the Quinns as of today. The paperwork should be completed in a few days."

Callie watched the judge's mouth continue to move, but she no longer heard what he said. She felt relieved and anxious at the same time. It was finally over. She no longer had to live in limbo, constantly worrying about being placed in another foster home. She no longer had to hide her relationship with Brandon. It was all over. She had a permanent, safe home even if Robert changed his mind. But it felt surreal. And part of her couldn't help but wonder if he would change his mind; if this was a ploy to get custody. It wasn't that she didn't trust Robert, it was that she didn't trust something actually going right for her. But after the six of them exited the courthouse, everyone was hugging her and telling her it was over. Robert told Callie she had her own room at their house and gave Callie a key to his house, so she could come over whenever she wanted. And then the Quinns got into their car and left without making Callie go with them. He was sticking to his word.

Callie instantly made her way to the stairs when they arrived home, climbing them slowly before making her way down the hall to Brandon's room. A smile found her lips as she heard the harmonious melody drifting through the door. She opened the door, causing Brandon to whip his head towards her. "Hey, I didn't hear you come home."

Callie shut the door behind her. "We just got home. Well a few minutes ago. It took me some time to get up the stairs."

Brandon chuckled as he watched her place a hand over her stomach. Callie's belly was seemingly growing by the day and she found daily tasks taking more effort to accomplish. "How did it go?"

"I can officially kiss you in public." She grinned wide.

Brandon's own lips curved into an ear to ear smile as he stood. His hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. Her hands snaked around his neck as she reached up to connect their lips. "We are definitely going out to celebrate that tonight."

"That sounds like a great idea." She smiled as she leaned into his embrace.

"Although I have to say, part of me is disappointed because I was hoping if Mom couldn't come up with a plan she would agree to us getting married." His right hand came up to twirl her curls.

A laugh left Callie's lips as her smile widened. Her heart skipped a beat. Brandon never failed at making her feel so loved. "You would seriously marry me now?"

His face twisted into an expression that made it seem like Callie's question was insane. "In a heartbeat. There is nobody else out there. The only reason to wait is because Moms would never approve yet and plus I want to do it right. I want to throw the wedding of your dreams, so you know when we have jobs and money."

Callie laughed as she reached up to plant another kiss on his lips. Her stomach fluttered with warmth at Brandon's words. He wanted to marry her and he wanted it to be perfect. Callie wasn't like most girls; she didn't have her entire dream wedding planned. She hadn't thought about a single future wedding plan since her mother died. When she was little, she loved the Little Mermaid and often fantasized about finding her prince Eric. Once she and Jude were placed in foster care, she had enough to think about. And then Liam happened and she felt like damaged goods; she would never find her Prince Eric now nor did she think she would ever trust a man again. But she proved herself wrong when she met Brandon. He was her Prince Eric. And she found herself sacrificing something so huge for her true love, just like Ariel. But even still, with everything going on, she hadn't thought about her dream wedding.

"Honestly, as long as you're there, it'll be perfect." Callie said. "But yes, we should wait. I also don't really want to walk down the aisle looking like a whale."

"You don't look like a whale, Cal. You're pregnant." His hand cupped her cheek. "You're belly and boobs are the only thing that's gotten bigger and you're beautiful. Pregnancy looks good on you."

Callie's eyes fluttered shut as Brandon's lips connected to hers. She pulled away after a moment and moved to sit on Brandon's bed. "I'm sorry, I have to sit. My back is killing me."

Brandon sat beside her and reached his hand out to rest on the small of her back. He kneaded gently. "Only thirteen more weeks."

Callie felt a mix of emotions as the end of her pregnancy neared. Part of her would miss the feeling of Melody growing inside of her. Her heart managed to swell every time she felt her kick. There was also this indescribable feeling of always having Melody there; there was this intimacy of having her inside of her. She was also pretty sure food would never taste as good as it did during pregnancy. However, she wouldn't miss the aching back and feet, the need to pee nearly every hour, or the heartburn. Part of her was excited for the next part; seeing Melody for the first time, holding her in her arms, seeing her smile for the first time, watching her grow, play, sleep. Waiting to finally meet her was like a child waiting for Christmas. But another part of her was anxious. The approaching labor and delivery terrified her. She read so many books, but she was pretty sure no amount of books would actually prepare her, and she couldn't help but think she would have a difficult experience with her luck.

Her mind suddenly reeled back to Vico's threat that Tommy Walker relayed three weeks ago. Fear must have shown on her face because Brandon's face contorted into concern. "Cal?"

She met his eyes. "I just hope this trial, and everything is done before she's born."

He took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. "There not coming anywhere near Melody."

"I just want it to be over with, so I can stop thinking about it and can just focus on her when she gets here."

"I don't think it's going to be. They still haven't set a date and at this point I think Mom would be the one to hold them off with you being far into the pregnancy. A trial is really stressful, and I don't think it's a good idea." He removed his hand from her back and reached into her lap to intertwine their fingers. "But they are both being held in jail now. They can't hurt you or Melody."

Callie closed her eyes for a moment as she inhaled deeply. Brandon was right. A trial this far into the pregnancy probably wasn't healthy. She lived in a seemingly constant state of stress and anxiety, but even so she knew it would at least be tripled the day of the trial. It pained her to think of going to trial after Melody was born. She wanted to focus her attention of the new baby, but now she would have to leave the newborn for long hours on however many days the trial lasted. "I wish there didn't have to be a stupid trial."

"I know." Brandon frowned. Somehow this seemed to be another way Liam and Vico were haunting Callie. Their constant delaying of the trial prolonged Callie's anxiety and now they would be ready at the most inconvenient time for Callie. "I would give anything to make you not have to testify."

Callie rested her head on Brandon's shoulder as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Hey, have you heard from Idyllwild yet?"

Brandon nodded. "Uh yeah. I got it."

"Brandon, that's amazing!" Callie beamed, throwing her arms around his neck. She pulled back with burrowed eyebrows when he shrugged. "Why aren't you excited?"

"I don't know if…"

"Don't finish that sentence. You're going, Brandon. This is a once in a lifetime thing. This is a huge opportunity. You got accepted to the best music program in the country." Callie interjected.

"I know, but…"

"No. This isn't up for debate. I'm fine. Melody is fine. It's not like I'm not going to see you." Callie interrupted him again. A smile found her lips. "If you don't go, I'll break up with you."

Brandon feigned insult, but a smirk stretched his lips. "Well then I guess I have to go."

"That's right." Callie laughed, her eyes fluttering shut as Brandon's lips met hers.

 _Thanks for reading! Will everything continue to go right? Find out next chapter. Review!_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Callie inhaled sharply at the sudden cramp in her abdomen. Her hand reached up to clutch her stomach. She stood frozen for a moment, taking deep breaths until the pain subsided. Her heart sped up in her chest. The pain felt similar to her period cramps, which she was almost certain were what contractions felt like. She shook the thought from her head as she grabbed her laptop and sat on her bed. It couldn't be a contraction. She was only 28 weeks; it was too early for her to be in labor. She opened an essay she was working on, on her laptop that only had one sentence written. Between the pregnancy and upcoming trial her mind was anything but focused on this paper. But with the end of the school year approaching fast, she needed to get it done.

She flinched as the cramp returned. Her hands found her stomach again as her heart pumped harder. Something wasn't right. This wasn't a normal pregnancy ache or pain. She attempted to take in a calming breath to slow her heart rate, but the anxiety swimming in her stomach wouldn't subside. She closed the laptop and planted her feet on the floor, using the night table to pulled herself up. Slowly she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Stef was unpacking groceries.

The blonde turned her head at the sound of approaching footsteps, a smile finding her lips when she saw Callie. "Hey love."

"I'm um…getting these pains. They…they feel likes cramps." Callie's voice shook.

Stef placed the bottle of ketchup in her hand onto the counter. "Okay, okay, I'm sure everything is fine, but let's take a trip to the ER to be safe."

Callie nodded as she swallowed thickly. Stef left the rest of the groceries on the table, grabbed her car keys, and headed out to the car with Callie. Stef tried to reassure the young girl on the way to the hospital, but Callie's anxiety only increased with each passing minute.

Stef helped Callie out of the car and held onto her arm as they entered the emergency room. "Take a seat, love, I'll check you in."

Callie nodded as she lowered herself onto one of the chairs. One hand slid upon her stomach as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes wandered the waiting room, noticing an older woman staring at her. She was so tired of the judgmental looks she received from people who had no idea about her situation. She peeled her eyes away when Stef sat on the chair beside her. The blonde place a gentle hand on Callie's knee. "They said it should just be a couple of minutes."

Callie nodded as she exhaled shakily.

"I'm sure everything is fine, love." Stef reached up to stroke Callie's curls. "When I was pregnant with B I had bad pains during the third trimester. I thought I was in labor or something was seriously wrong, but it was just the ligaments stretching. There's a lot going on in the body during pregnancy."

"Callie Jacob."

Callie whipped her head towards the voice to find a young blonde in scrubs standing in the start of the hall. She hauled herself onto her feet and started towards the hall with Stef following. The nurse led them to a room, where she took Callie's vitals, hooked her up to a machine, asked her questions, and left a gown for Callie to change into. Before she left, Stef requested a female doctor if it was possible. The request made Callie's heart thump even harder in her chest. If they had any speculation that she was having contractions they were going to do a pelvic exam. The color drained from her face. She knew she would have to suck it up; it was to make sure her daughter was okay and she would do anything for that. But that didn't lessen her anxiety in the least bit. She clicked the home button on her phone for the umpteenth time, waiting for Brandon to respond to her text.

"Do you want me to try calling Brandon? He may not have noticed a text." Stef suggested as she watched the disappoint spread across the brunette's face as she stared at her phone.

Callie met Stef's eyes and shook her head. She wanted Brandon here more than anything. His presence calmed her, but she didn't want to bother him. "I don't want to interrupt him. He was practicing with the band."

Stef sighed as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. How was she going to get the teenager to stop being so selfless? "Callie, if he knew what was going on he would want to be here. I'm calling him."

Callie nodded. There was no point in arguing with the cop. Plus, she did want Brandon here and she knew Stef was right. He would be upset if he found out later. She placed her phone on the bed beside her and rested her hands on her stomach. A sigh of relief left her lips when she heard Brandon's muffled voice through Stef's phone. She couldn't make out his words, but she could hear the voice speed up after Stef explained where they were.

"He's on his way." Stef said as she pulled the phone away from her ear. "Mama said she'd be here as soon as her meeting is over. Although hopefully we won't even be here by then."

Callie nodded. Her eyes moved to the door at the sound of it opening.

"Hi there, Callie. I'm Dr. Castner. So, it does look like you're having some contractions." The tall brunette, whose hair was pulled back in a braid, said as she looked at the machine attached to Callie.

"I'm only 28 weeks though. It's too soon." Callie's eyes widened. Not only was she concerned for the baby's health, but she wasn't ready to bring a baby home yet. The nursery was still a work in progress. They still didn't have everything they needed.

"I'm going to say they're just Braxton Hicks contractions, which is the body's way of preparing for labor. Like practice contractions. They very irregular, which is typical for Braxton Hicks. But I'm going to do a pelvic exam to check your cervix to make sure it's not effaced or dilated."

Stef watched Callie's body stiffen. She was hoping they wouldn't have to do one. Images of the brunette squirming in the hospital bed with terror in her distant eyes flashed through Stef's mind. The doctor had performed multiple pelvic exams on Callie to check her stitches and injuries for weeks following the attack and Stef had been there for everyone; everyone had been awful. It had been heart wrenching to watch Callie struggle to stay in the presence and flash back to the night she wanted nothing more than to forget. She had hoped she would never have to witness it again and yet here they were. Stef couldn't help but worry what the rest of the pregnancy meant. She recalled multiple pelvic exams towards the end of her pregnancy and doctors and nurses had constantly touched her during labor and delivery. She couldn't imagine how traumatic that would be for Callie.

"Um this…this pregnancy is a result of assault." Stef spoke up quietly. She knew the young girl was not going to say anything, but Stef also knew it would be beneficial for everyone if the doctor was aware.

Callie watched the doctor's face contort into sympathy and it made her stomach churn. She hated that this was her story. She hated that she was a victim. She hated when people found out; they either didn't believe her or only saw her as a victim.

"I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that we have to do a pelvic exam. I will be as gentle and quick as possible." Dr. Castner smiled sympathetically. "Do you need a few minutes?"

Callie shook her head. She didn't want to prolong this. The more she waited, the longer she would be anxious about her daughter's health and the longer she would dread the exam. "No."

"Do you want me to leave?" Stef asked. A small part of her was hoping she would say yes. Witnessing Callie experience those awful exams during her stay in the hospital had been agonizing and she didn't want to experience that again. But the larger part of her knew that Callie needed someone. As awful of an experience it was for Stef, it was ten times worse for the brunette.

"You can stay." Callie whispered. She wanted Brandon more than anything, but Stef's presence could be just as comforting at times.

Stef stood from the chair and made her way to stand beside Callie at the head of the bed. She reached for Callie's hand as the teenager leaned back against the pillows and drew her knees up. Callie inhaled shakily as she watched Dr. Castner pull the stool up to the foot of the bed and slip on a pair of gloves.

Callie lashed out at the first touch. Her heart hammered in her chest. She was suddenly back in those woods. Rocks and sticks pressed against her bare back. Vico straddling her, pinning her wrists above her head as Liam watched. "No. No."

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Callie, look at me. You're safe. You're in the hospital." Stef squeezed her hand gently in an attempt to ground the trembling girl. Callie's wide, frightened eyes met Stef's. "That's it. Just look at me."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She whispered frantically as tears shone in her eyes.

"It's okay. I'm going to resume." Dr. Castner frowned.

"Keep your eyes on me." Stef said. Callie inhaled sharply and flinched when Dr. Castner began the exam again.

Callie squeezed her eyes shut. This time it was Liam lying on top of her, crushing her small frame. His rough hand explored her body as his teeth tore at her flesh. "P-please don't. Stop."

Stef's heart shattered with every plea that left Callie's lips; the pleas that Liam and Vico ignored. "Callie, keep your eyes on me. I'm here, love. You're safe. It's just the doctor."

Callie's eyes shot up as the doctor retracted her hand. "All done."

Callie threw her head back as a sob escaped her lips. Tears erupted from her eyes, tumbling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." Dr. Castner said softly as she pulled off the gloves and moved to the sink to wash her hands. "You're not dilated. Everything is good. It's just Braxton Hicks."

Callie wiped at her dampened cheeks. Part of her was flooded with relief that her daughter was okay, but the other part remained anxious as she couldn't shake the images of Vico and Liam.

"I'll leave you alone for a few minutes." Dr. Castner smiled sadly before stepping outside the room.

"Cal? Are you okay?" Stef asked hesitantly.

Callie nodded too quickly as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and planted her feet on the cold floor. She slowly began to dress herself with her back towards Stef.

"Callie." Stef repeated. "Please talk to me. I know what happened wasn't easy."

Callie flinched as the door flew open and a frantic Brandon practically darted inside. His eyes moved back and forth between Callie and his mother. "What's going on? Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Why didn't you call me sooner?"

Stef felt a small smile creep up on her face at her son's state. His love for Callie was obvious. "Calm down, B. It's just Braxton Hicks contractions."

"They're like practice contractions. They're normal." Callie explained when she saw his eyebrows raise in confusion.

He nodded, reassured that the baby was okay, but this distant look in Callie's eyes made his stomach knot. He knew that look all too well. "Callie, are you okay?"

Callie met his concerned eyes as her own glistened with unshed tears.

"They had to…do a pelvic exam." Stef explained when Callie didn't answer. She watched the realization spread across her son's face.

Brandon closed the door and made his way before Callie. He lifted her chin gently and brushed away the single tear that escaped her eye. "Hey, talk to me."

Her lower lips trembled before another batch of tears exploded from her eyes. "I thought I was back in those woods."

Brandon sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. "You're not. You're safe. I've got you."

She buried his face his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears. His fingers stroked her hair soothingly. "I'm sorry, this is stupid."

Stef opened her mouth to dissipate that thought from the brunette's mind, but her son beat her to it. He pulled her back gently so he could cup her cheek with his hand. "Hey, it is not stupid and don't apologize. Don't ever apologize for something like this or think it's stupid. You were hurt badly, Cal and something like that doesn't go away. And something like this brings it back. You're allowed to cry. You're allowed to be upset. And I'm here to do whatever you need to get through this, okay?"

She nodded against his hand, closing her eyes as he pressed a ginger kiss to her forehead. "Just don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere." He reassured. "Can you tell me what you saw?"

Stef remained quiet in the corner of the room, not wanting to interrupt even though she was waiting for Callie's response of not wanting to talk about it.

Callie hesitated for a moment and Brandon could practically see the battle in her mind. "I was…back in the woods and…Vico was on top of me, holding my hands down. I was trying to fight him, but he…was too strong and every time I would try he'd hit me or punch me. The second time it was...Liam and he was…biting me and t-touching me."

Stef was amazed that the young girl was actually opening up. She hadn't spoken a single detail about any of the abuse she had been through. She had been especially closed off about anything to do with Vico and Liam. Stef didn't doubt that Callie's wall gradually cracking was because of Brandon. She trusted him more than anything and he knew how to comfort her. With each passing day the two eased her concern about allowing their relationship.

Brandon felt fury coursing through his veins as Callie finally revealed more about that awful night. He swallowed back his anger; Callie was finally talking and he didn't want to ruin that. "Was it a flashback? Was that was happened in the woods?"

Stef braced herself for Callie's answer. She wanted to know exactly what the girl had been through, but at the same time she didn't want to know the horrifying details; somehow it got worse with every detail.

"Yes." Callie choked out. "And so much more."

Brandon wanted to scream. The beautiful, selfless, strong girl in his arms deserved so much better than what the world was throwing at her. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not in the emergency room. The doctor is going to come back with the discharge papers any minute." Callie said, wiping at her dampened cheeks.

And there it was. Her walls were back up. But they had cracked ever so slightly. It was a starting point; a crack they could chip away at.

 _Thanks for reading! A pretty big step forward for Callie opening up, but more drama returns next chapter! I just want to say as I have in the past that I'm open to any ideas/suggestions you guys have. I also want to say that if you do have one or have already said one, it may take a while for it to appear as I have a lot of the story written that I then go back and edit. Sometime it's easier to edit in a requested scene or idea, but other times it may need to be incorporated to chapter that are still be written._

 _Review!_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Callie's fingers pressed against her phone as she texted Brandon, letting him know she would be waiting by the car. They both had to stay after school for different reasons and planned to drive home together. She had finished a few minutes early and made her way to the car. Callie slipped her phone into her back pocket as she leaned against the car. She watched as a squirrel climbed up a nearby tree as she basked in the fresh air.

"Hello Callie."

Callie spun around at the familiar, dreadful voice. Her breath got caught in her throat as her eyes met those of her nightmare. Overwhelming terror filled every inch of her body. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to come anywhere near her. Everyone told her she was safe. Before she had the chance to move, he lunged towards her, swinging his fist hard into her jaw. Black spots danced in her vision and she felt her body sway before she crashed to the ground.

* * *

Callie's eyes fluttered open, blinking repeatedly as she adjusted to the light Slowly sat up from her spot on the hard-wooden floor. She opened her stiff jaw, clenching her fists at the pain that sparked through it at the movement. Her head throbbed painfully and her stomach churned. It took her a moment to recall the event that led her to this moment: Vico.

She could feel the bile rising in her throat and sweat bead across her forehead. She clutched her curls back as she emptied the contents of her stomach on the ground. She planted her shaky feet on the floor when she finished. Her eyes scanned the unfurnished room. The wall and ceiling were littered with paint splatter and different words and pictures. Wyatt's old house.

She felt slight relief knowing that she wasn't far from home. She started for the bedroom door, but it suddenly swung open. Her body froze with terror as Vico appeared in the doorway, a smug smirk spread across his lips. "I'm glad you're awake."

Images of him on top of her in the woods flashed through her mind. She darted for the door, but he was quick. He grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the wall. A small whimpered escaped her lips. One hand grasped her stomach, fearing for the life of her daughter. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" He growled furiously, pressing his body against hers. "Revenge, but this time against you for opening your big mouth. I told you to keep quiet. Now you've ruined my life."

"I ruined _your_ life? What about _my_ life?" Callie retorted, swallowing down her fear. Did he seriously believe he was the victim? He put her in the hospital for a week. It took months for her to heal physically. A constant anxiety accompanied her since that night. She was forced into a pregnancy, motherhood. He had destroyed any progress she had made in trusting people, letting her walls down, recovering from her past demons. But his life was the one that was ruined."And I didn't tell anyone. They had to bring me to the ER because you almost _killed_ me."

It sounded like enraged thunder as Vico backhanded her face. Her head swung to the opposite side of the impact. Her hand reached up to touch the handprint on her cheek, but Vico grabbed her wrist roughly and shoved her further into the wall. "You better keep your mouth shut or I will kill you."

"Killing a pregnant girl, that'll get you put away for life for sure." Callie knew she was pushing him, but she refused to give in to the fear that he so badly craved from her.

Vico twisted her wrist, his eyes darkening with fury. "You stupid whore!"

Callie inhaled sharply at the familiar pain. She struggled against his grip. "Let go of me!"

"It's such a shame Liam couldn't get out on bail." Vico smirked; one hand continued to grip her wrist while the other slid down to the waistband on her shorts. Callie's breath got caught in her throat as her body tensed, "But now I don't have to share you. I get to have you all to myself."

Callie's stomach lurched. She couldn't believe this was happening yet again. She should have just waited in the school. Other students and faculty were lingering in the school for meetings or after school activities. He wouldn't have been able to follow through with his attack. But instead she figured she'd enjoy the beautiful day while she waited for Brandon. That had been a huge mistake and now she was paying for it.

She blinked back tears and squirmed against him as he popped the button open on her shorts. She used her free hand to claw at his face. This couldn't happen again. "Stop! Get off me!"

Vico's face contorted into utter rage as he brought a hand up to feel the cut she engraved on his cheek. He wrapped his hands around her upper arms in a deathly grip. The malice in his eyes made Callie's heart plummet to her stomach as it pounded wildly. She swore she could hear it beating over the growl that emitted Vico's lips. His nails dug into her arms and he shook her violently before flinging her to the hard ground.

A small gasp escaped Callie's lips as she came in contact with the floor. She placed her hand over her stomach as if to protect her daughter. She slowly scooted backwards until her back was against the wall. Vico loomed above her, his fists clenched and his nostrils flared. The sound of his heavy, erratic breaths assaulted her ears. He was furious. She had pushed him over the edge and now she was going to pay for it. Her body was trembling now, fearing for her life, but mostly fearing for her daughter's life- the helpless, innocent creature growing inside of her, who had no choice but to depend on Callie for protection.

Vico kneeled down before Callie. He grabbed Callie's bruise jaw with his hand, glaring at her with dark eyes. He suddenly yanked her by her shoulders, pushing her onto her back and pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. Stars danced behind her lids at the tight grip he had on her throbbing wrist. The other hand explored her body, pulling at her clothes. His mouth sucked and gnawed at the flesh on her neck. This wasn't real. This wasn't happening. It was just one of the common nightmares that Vico haunted. She would wake up any minute now. Brandon would hold her, stroke her hair, and whisper comforting words in her ear. But no matter how hard she tried to picture Brandon's strong arms wrapped around her, all she could focus on was the paralyzing fear clawing at her insides and Vico's rough hands wandering her body.

"St-stop. Please. Please don't do this." Callie pleaded desperately, unshed tears blurring her vision. She tried to distance herself.

He brought his mouth to her ear, his breath hot against her skin. She had to swallow back the bile. "Relax. Stop pretending like you don't want this."

She choked out a sob as he yanked her jeans down her legs. His hand slipped beneath her underwear. She thrashed against him. "No, stop. Please stop."

He tore off her underwear, grinning. "I'm just giving you what you deserve. You're a slut."

Vico attacked Callie's lips with his, swallowing her cry. His hand left from its spot between her legs to work on the button on his jeans. Callie's stomach plummeted. Terror shuddered throughout her body. Her lungs burned, aching for the oxygen that her body felt like it was rejecting. She couldn't do this. He had to be stopped. She dug her teeth into his lip until she felt the metallic taste of blood on her tongue.

He pulled away from her, bringing a hand to his stinging lip. Blood tainted his fingers when he drew them away from his lip. His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened, glowering at her. "You bitch!"

She winced as his hand struck her face. He stood and sauntered towards the door, swinging it open and slamming it shut behind him. Callie watched as the lock turned before she heard his footsteps slowly fade away. A shaky breath left her lips. This was her chance. She pulled her shorts up and scrambled to her feet. Her trembling legs practically darted towards the door, rattling the knob. It was locked from the outside. She paced the room anxiously. She had to get out of here someway and somehow. This wasn't just her life she was protecting, but more important her daughter's.

There was a gentle vibrating sensation against her hip. Her phone. It had been tucked in her pocket moments before Vico attacked and he apparently never removed it. Her hands quickly retrieved it. Relief washed over her when Brandon's name and picture lit up on her screen. With shaking fingers she answered the call, bringing to her ear. "Brandon."

Brandon was so happy to hear her voice after calling and texting her over twenty times. However, the happiness was short lived when he heard the terror in her voice. "Callie, where are you?"

"Please help me. Vico took me to Wyatt's old house. I'm locked in a room and I bit his lip and he's really angry." Callie spoke quickly and quietly, her voice shaking with fear. She didn't know how long it would be before Vico returned and she feared his reaction if he found her with her phone. Her heart started beating even faster when she heard his footsteps approaching. "Oh god he's coming back. He doesn't know I have my phone. I have to hang up."

"I'm on my way." Brandon was already in his car, putting the car into drive. "I'm going to call mom."

"I love you." She whispered before hanging up quickly and sliding the phone into her pocket. She flinched when the door flew open and Vico stomped towards her. Terror paralyzed her. Her limbs felt glued to the wooden floor and all she could do was pray to any and every higher power that Brandon would arrive soon.

 _Cliffhanger! Will Brandon get there in time? We'll find out next chapter!_

 _Review!_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Please help me. Vico took me to Wyatt's old house. I'm locked in a room and I bit his lip and he's really angry." Callie spoke quickly and quietly, her voice shaking with fear. Her heart started beating even faster when she heard his footsteps approaching. "Oh god he's coming back. He doesn't know I have my phone. I have to hang up."

"I'm on my way." Brandon was already in his car, putting the car into drive. "I'm going to call mom."

"I love you." She whispered before hanging up quickly and sliding the phone into her pocket. She flinched when the door flew open and Vico stomped towards her. She could swear she heard her heart beating.

He pushed her into the wall and held her hands above her head. He pulled her shorts down again, popping the button off and sending it to the floor with a gentle click. Callie let out a cry as she thrashed against him. He thrust his hand in between her thighs and brought his mouth to her ear. "If you ever do something like that again I will make sure your baby doesn't make it out of here alive. That's a promise."

Callie closed her eyes as hot tears oozed out of them, carving a path down her cheek. What scared her most was that she knew he would keep the promise if she didn't obey. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't be the cause of her daughter's endangerment.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. A sob ripped through her throat as she felt his hand against her. She squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to distant herself from the horrible situation. She tried to think of lying in Brandon's arms, the smell of Lena's freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, the sound of Jude's laugh- anything to take her away from now. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn't keep her thoughts off Vico and his rough hands. Her control was being stripped away once again.

"Callie!"

Callie's eyes shot open at the sound of Brandon's desperate voice. She released the breath she was holding in. Relief flooded her. He was here. He was going to save her.

"Callie!" His voice grew louder and closer.

Vico was livid. He pulled away from Callie, an evil glint in his eyes. "Your little boyfriend wants to be the hero?"

Callie swallowed nervously as she watched him move to towards the door. He threw it open furiously.

"Callie!" Brandon ran down the hall and towards the bedroom.

Callie pulled up her shorts and started for the door. "Brandon."

Vico turned and pushed Callie to the floor before he stood in the doorway, blocking Brandon's access.

"Get away from her and get out of my way." Brandon growled through clenched teeth.

"Relax man. I don't mind sharing her. I'll give you a turn if…"

Brandon pulled a can of mace out from behind his back and sprayed it in Vico's eyes. Vico let out a pained shout as he bent over, covering his eyes with his hand. Brandon kneed him in the stomach and pushed him against the wall hard. Vico's head bounced against the wall, before he tumbled to the floor in a haze.

Brandon kneeled down to Callie, gathering her trembling body into his arms. She sobbed into his shoulder, gripping onto his shirt so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. He pressed a ginger kiss to her head, rocking her gently. "Shh, I've got you now. You're safe."

"Police!" Stef's voice boomed throughout the house.

Callie flinched, burying her head further into Brandon's shirt. "It's okay. It's just Mom."

He held onto her tighter, never wanting to let her go. The time spent trying to find her was excruciating. She had texted him telling him she was waiting by the car and when he didn't find her there he knew something was wrong. He called and texted her countless times He was opening his mother's contact in his phone to ask her to track Callie's phone, when Callie had called. He swore his heart stopped when her terrified voice told him she was with Vico. And then she started panicking that he was coming back. Brandon didn't hesitate in throwing his car into park and speeding to Wyatt's old house, probably breaking twenty traffic laws in just five miles. Stef had called him right after Callie had hung up. He didn't have to fill her in as she had heard about Vico's anklet going off and had already tracked Callie's phone. Brandon was closer though. Stef warned him to wait there until the police arrived, but he didn't even consider the option. There was no way he was leaving Callie with that monster for even seconds extra while he waited for the police.

Stef, Mike, and several other police officered entered the room with their weapons drawn. Stef's heart broke when she saw Callie trembling and sobbing in her son's arms. Her eyes moved to Vico who was beginning to gain his bearings. She noticed the red blotches circling Vico's bloodshot eyes and then she found a can of mace sticking out of her son's back pocket. A small smile found her lips. She taught him well.

A moaned left Vico's lips as he rubbed at his burning eyes. Stef clenched her fists by her side. If it weren't for the risk of losing her job or getting arrested, she would have shot him. She turned to Mike, who was already throwing handcuff around a struggling Vico. "Arrest him and get him the hell away from me before I lose my job for killing him."

Another officer helped Mike haul Vico onto his feet as they read him his rights. Vico resisted their grip, gritting his teeth furiously. "You stupid slut! You'll pay for this! I own you, don't you forget that!"

"Shut the hell up!" Mike shouted as he tightened his grip on Vico.

Callie let out a choked sob and curled even further into Brandon's arms. Stef's fury was about to boil over, but she needed to make sure Callie was alright. She slid her gun back into the holster and walked gently towards the frightened girl. "Callie, love, what happened? Are you hurt?"

Callie lifted her head from Brandon's tear soaked shirt and placed a hand on her stomach. "I'm fine. The baby…he pushed me. I need to make sure the baby is okay. She needs to be okay."

Stef noticed a bruise developing beneath Callie's eye and the swollen wrist, painted with black and blue swirls, that rested on her stomach. Her stomach churned. What had he done to her? How did this happen again? "Callie, we're going to take you to the hospital to get you and the baby checked. An ambulance was already called."

The next few minutes were a blur for Callie as Brandon and Stef helped her out of the house and rode in the ambulance with her. She flinched with every poke and prod from the paramedic. Stef was questioning Callie as to what happened, but she just kept shrugging. She couldn't seem to find her words to explain, nor did she really want to. Her mind was clouded with fear, shock, and anxiety for her daughter's health.

When they arrived at the hospital, Stef reluctantly waited in the waiting room, while Brandon stayed with Callie. As much as Stef wanted to stay by the brunette's side, she knew Brandon was who she really needed. And so she found herself pacing the quiet waiting room, glancing at the door every few seconds to check for Lena or Mike's arrival.

Callie held Brandon's hand as the doctor performed an ultrasound. Another doctor was poking at her wrist while the nurse checked her vitals. Callie held her breath as she watched her daughter's image appear on the monitor. The anxiety for her daughter's wellbeing was nearly unbearable. "Is she okay?"

"Heartbeat is strong and steady. Everything looks good." The doctor nodded as she observed the screen on the monitor.

"Thank god." Callie breathed with relief. She felt Brandon press a kiss to the top of her head as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"We need an x-ray on this wrist." The other doctor announced. She looked at the deep bruising around Callie's jaw. "Maybe the jaw too."

Much to Brandon and Callie's dismay, Brandon was asked to leave while they took Callie to get x-rays. He somberly strolled into the waiting room where he found his mothers and father. He was surprised not to see his siblings and wondered if they were even aware to what had happened.

"Hey, B, how's Callie? Did you find anything out?" Stef asked nervously.

"They're taking her for x-rays. They said the ultrasound looks good, that the baby is fine." His voice sounded tired.

The three adults all let out a sigh of relief. Stef closed her eyes for a moment. "Thank god. Did she tell you anything that happened?"

"I mean I haven't gotten the chance to speak with her alone, but by hearing what she told the doctors, he punched her so hard in the jaw that he knocked her out." Brandon gritted his teeth as his mind created images. Brandon knew Vico's wrestling experience made him well aware on how to knock someone out with one punch, and it sickened Brandon. "I guess from there he took her to the house. He…he didn't…rape her again, but he did…I think he touched her."

Stef swallowed thickly. Lena grabbed onto her wife's arm. Mike shifted uncomfortably as he clenched his fists by his side.

"I don't…I don't understand how this happened." Brandon pinched the bridge of his nose as tears sprang to his eyes. "I thought he was wearing an ankle bracelet."

"He cut it off." Mike replied. "The alarms went off, but it was tracked to his home where he had left it, but he obviously was gone already."

"I don't understand why it was so easy for him to do this. He shouldn't have even been out on bail! How is this okay? How am I supposed to convince Callie to trust that justice will be served when something like this happens?" Brandon began to shout, earning several glances from the few people nearby. The three adults had no answer for him because he was right. Brandon dropped into the nearest chair as tears burst from his eyes like water from a dam. He buried his face in his hands. His lashes, heavy with tears, pressed against his cheeks. "It's not fair. It's not fair that bad stuff keeps happening to her. She's so amazing and so selfless and good hearted and she gets nothing in return. She's the strongest person I know and she somehow manages to bounce back from everything, but I don't know how much more she can take."

Stef felt her own tears well in her eyes. She took a seat next to her son and rubbed his back gently. She understood his pain and frustration; she felt it too. "I know, love. You're right. I can assure you that he will be locked up for at least three years just for this stint though. That is guaranteed for breaking more than one of his bail requirements. We already had a strong case and this makes him look even guiltier."

"He's a wrestler. A wrestler." Brandon lifted his head and shook it with utter disgust. "I could barely defend myself again Tommy Walker, who's smaller and has less experience wrestling. How was she supposed to defend herself? She looks like she was used as a punching bag and she's pregnant."

All three adults exchanged glances, wearing a matching expression of revulsion.

"Adams-Foster." One of the doctor's that had been working on Callie called out as she entered the waiting room.

Stef and Brandon sprung to their feet at the sound of the doctor's voice. Stef moved to stand beside Lena, reaching out to take her hand. "How's she doing?"

"Her wrist is indeed broken. Unfortunately, the bone is displaced and will need to be set. It's done nonsurgical, but because she is pregnant we are limited to acetaminophen for pain when this is something we usually use morphine and more for. We'll set it and then keep her in a splint for now until swelling goes down. Once the swelling goes down she may need to be casted. There's also a small hairline fracture in the eye socket, but she's not complaining of any vision problems so that's a good thing. That should heal up on its own. We're also suspecting a minor concussion, but we'd like to avoid doing a scan because of the pregnancy." The doctor explained. "Other than that, she's pretty bruised up and like I said, we unfortunately cannot give her anything but acetaminophen. The baby looks healthy though."

"Will she be able to come home today?" Lena asked. She was relieved that Callie's injuries were minimal.

"Yes. We just have to set her wrist and splint it and then we can discharge her. I'll give you a list of concerning signs you should look for, but she should be fine. She should follow up with an orthopedist and her OB/GYN." She explained. "She was asking for Brandon, but you're all welcome to come back to her room."

Mike stayed behind while Stef, Lena, and Brandon made their way to Callie's room. She sat up on the bed, one hand resting over her stomach as her eyes watched the TV mounted to the wall. She peeled her eyes from the screen as her foster mothers and Brandon entered. The tiniest of smile found her lips as her eyes met Brandon's. She instantly felt safe just being in his presence.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Brandon asked as he strolled towards her bed. He leaned down a pressed a ginger kiss to her hairline. She shrugged, but tears sparkled in her eyes. Brandon frowned as he pushed her curls behind her ear. His stomach turned as he examined the deep hues of blue and purple along her jaw and beneath her eye. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"I'm fine." She replied, but the crack in her voice said otherwise.

"Sweets, putting up walls is not going to stop you from hurting." Stef frowned.

Before Callie had the chance to respond, the doctor returned to the room with a nurse who was dragging a security pole. "Alright Callie, unfortunately it's time to set that bone."

Brandon watched the nurse set up the pole beside Callie's bed. He took Callie's uninjured hand in his as the doctor attached Callie's other hand to pole. Brandon saw a wince flicker across Callie's features. His stomach knotted. He would do anything to switch spots with her right now; to be the one sitting in the hospital bed so she wouldn't have to. He remembered the pain of having his hand set and he had been pumped with heavy painkillers.

"Ready?" The doctor asked.

Callie nodded, inhaling deeply. Brandon pushed her curls back again. "Just look at me, okay?"

Callie met Brandon's eyes as she felt the doctor grip her throbbing wrist. Crushing pain exploded through her entire hand. Stars danced behind her eyelids. She squeezed her eyes shut as her grip on Brandon's hand tightened. She felt the doctor release her hand from the pole. Sweat beaded on her forehead as her stomach churned. She felt hot and cold at the same time. She shifted in the bed as bile rose in her throat. "I'm gonna..."

Brandon grabbed a basin from the nearby shelf and shoved it before Callie just in time for her to vomit into it. He gathered her curls back as she continued to empty the contents of her stomach into the basin. Her body hurled as she spluttered violently.

"Oh love." Stef sighed as she moved closer to Callie's bed beside Brandon. She glanced at the doctor. "Is this normal?"

The doctor frowned. "I'm going to say a combination or pain, pregnancy, and anxiety."

"Can we do something?" Lena asked desperately as the brunette began to dry heave.

Callie finally stopped, collapsing back against the pillows. "I…I think I'm done."

The doctor took Callie's hand back and slipped on the splint. "We can give you an anti-nausea medication if it continues, but I think it was just a short-term reaction."

The nurse held out a cup of water. Callie accepted it with trembling hands and brought it to her dry lips. She took a sip, swooshing it in her mouth and spitting it into the basin. She leaned back against the pillows as the nurse took the basin away. Brandon pushed her hair off her face and leaned down to press a ginger kiss to her forehead. "Can I do something for you?"

"Just don't leave me." She whispered huskily.

His hand found hers again and as the other reached up to brush away the tear that escaped her eye. "I'm not going anywhere."

It took another hour until Callie was discharged from the hospital. She barely uttered a word as she, Brandon, Stef and Lena left the hospital. Brandon helped her into the back of Stef's truck, holding her close after he slipped in next to her. He stroked her back on the way home, feeling helpless. He hated that she was suffering in more ways than one and there was nothing he could do to help. He knew his presence comforted her, but he wanted to do more.

When they entered the house, Jude, Jesus, and Mariana bombarded them at the front door. Each of them sputtered questions. Brandon knew his mothers must have filled them in on what had happened.

"Woah, guys give Callie some space. She's had a rough day and we need to be conscious of that." Stef began, noting the glistening layer in Callie's eyes. "She's home and safe now. And it's late now. I'm sure she would like to get to bed."

Callie was grateful for Stef's intervention. She knew they all meant well, but she couldn't handle answering questions right now.

"Can Callie stay with me tonight?" Brandon asked as he kept his hand intertwined with her uninjured one. He knew she needed him and he knew it was going to be a rough night for her. She would most likely wake up from a nightmare and make her way into his room as she so often did anyway.

Stef glanced at Lena, who nodded. The rules they had for their other children with their partners didn't quite apply to Callie and Brandon, given the circumstances. They knew the concern of sex wasn't a factor right now for the two, as it was for their other children. "Yes, that's fine."

Brandon helped Callie up the stairs and into her bedroom to get her pajamas. He grabbed a pair for her and they made their way into Brandon's room. She stared at the clothes in her hands for a moment. "I…I want to take a shower, but I don't think I can change on my own. My wrist is really sore. Can you maybe get Stef or Lena?"

Brandon nodded. He took a step towards her and pressed a kiss to her hairline. "I'll be right back."

Callie felt her heart quicken as she watched Brandon leave. She wondered if she would ever feel safe again. Brandon returned shortly with Lena trailing behind him. She offered Callie a warm smile as she took the pair of pajamas from the young girl. "Let's take you to the bathroom. I'll help you with everything."

Callie followed her into the bathroom. "I think I can shower on my own. I don't need to wash my hair, but I need help changing."

Lena knew the girl's need to shower was an attempt of ridding herself of the dirty feeling Vico left her with. She knew Callie had already taken a shower before school and it was rare for her to take a second one. She moved to the shower and turned on the water. She then turned to Callie. "Okay, I'm going to start with your shirt."

Callie nodded, flinching when Lena's hands grasped the hem of her shirt. Lena gently pulled it over her head, taking caution with her wrist. Callie inhaled sharply when Lena's fingers moved to the button on her shorts. She grasped Lena's hand with her right one to stop her as panic erupted in her stomach. "N-no. Stop."

Lena held her hands up. "It's just me, Callie. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't apologize, bug. Keep your eyes on me, okay?" Lena said as she reached for the button again. "It's just me. I'm not going to hurt you. You're home and safe."

Callie kept her eyes glued to Lena as the older woman unbutton her shorts and gently tugged them down. She fought hard to keep herself from seeing Vico and Liam. Lena winced when she saw the bruising on Callie's thighs. Callie turned and Lena caught sight of the bruising to her back. "If you can just unclip my bra, I think I can do the rest until I get out of the shower."

"Okay, make sure you don't move that wrist when you take the splint off. I'll wait right outside the bathroom and I'll come back in when I hear the water turn off."

Callie nodded. She flinched again when she felt Lena's hands unclipping her bra. She tried to stay present, but her mind kept flashing back to the woods. She waited until the door closed to slip off her bra, underwear, and splint. She carefully stepped into the shower, letting the hot water splash against her sore body. She used her uninjured hand to scrub at her body. Tears dribbled down her cheeks. The feeling was so familiar; not being able to rid herself of the dirtiness. Eventually, she turned the water off, knowing Lena was waiting outside. She grabbed her towel, quickly dried herself, and wrapped it around her body before Lena came back it. Callie reached for the splint and slipped it back onto her swollen and bruised wrist.

Lena helped Callie into her pajamas. Helping Callie into clothes seemed easier for her than taking them off, but she was still tense and flinched at nearly every touch.

"Goodnight, my love. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to get me or mom." Lena said as she walked with Callie back to Brandon's room. She pressed a kiss to the brunette's head. "Try to get some sleep. I love you."

"Goodnight, love you too." Callie whispered before she entered Brandon's room.

Brandon was already waiting in his bed having used his mothers' bathroom to get ready for bed while Callie was showering. She crawled into the bed beside him and curled against him, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, his fingers dancing in her wet hair. He couldn't help but think that all the progress Callie had made since the winter ball had been ruined today. "I'm here to talk if you want, Callie."

"I just don't know how much more I can take." She whispered as she traced random patterns on Brandon's chest.

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment. His heart physically ached at the pain in Callie's voice. "Hopefully this is it."

"I thought once I found a safe home I would be safe, but I guess I was wrong." Tears glistened in her eyes. "I just feel so dirty."

"You're not, Callie. This wasn't your fault and you shouldn't be ashamed. He is the one who should feel ashamed." Brandon said softly. "Can I ask what he did today?"

"He…he tried to…but he didn't." Her voice shook. "He…got my shorts and underwear off and t-touched me."

Brandon felt her tears splashing onto his shirt. He pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Her body began to tremble as she cried harder. He traced gentle patterns on her back, letting her cry into his chest. There were no words to make this better, but he knew his presence comforted her. And so he let her cry for what seemed like hours, while he held her close and whispered soothing words, until finally her breathing evened out. It wasn't until he was sure she was asleep that he let his own body succumb to sleep, preparing for the multiple nightmares Callie was almost guaranteed to wake up from.

 _Thanks for reading! Review!_


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Callie gave up with sleep by seven. She remained in Brandon's arms, relishing in the feeling of safeness. Plus, she didn't want to wake him. She felt awful for keeping him up most of the night. Vico and Liam's face haunted her dreams more so than usual because of the latest attack. If she didn't wake up in a panic or crying, he woke up from her whimpers or tossing in turning and then eventually helped her back to reality. At the feeling of his stirring, she lifted her head to look up at him.

"Good morning, beautiful." He whispered groggily as he reached down to press a kiss to her lips.

"Why don't you go back to sleep, it's still early." Callie suggested, placing her hand on his chest.

He shook his head. "I'm up now."

"Sorry I kept you up all night."

"Don't apologize." He said softly. "I'm glad you did so you didn't have to deal with it alone."

"I love you." She whispered. She was extremely thankful for him, especially at her worst times. His presence alone comforted her, but he somehow always knew what she needed at that moment. Last night he woke her up with gentle hands, held her in his safe arms while she sobbed, and whispered soothing words to calm her down. He was patient and loving. There was no hint of frustration after she had woken him up for the umpteenth time. She knew what it was like to suffer alone; to wake up in a panic or struggle to separate her nightmares from reality. It was a lonely, awful place to be and she was thankful she no longer had to do this alone.

"Love you too." He smiled. She started to pull away, but Brandon tightened his grip on her. "Where are you going?"

"I have to pee."

"Don't leave me." Brandon cried dramatically, pulling her closer to his body.

Callie giggled, rubbing her stomach gently. "Blame Melody. She's pressing on my bladder."

"Ugh, I can't get mad at her." Brandon grinned, sliding his hand down to Callie's stomach. "Don't press on Mommy's bladder."

Callie planted another kiss on Brandon's lips before she rolled over and slid out of the bed. "She has you wrapped around her finger already."

"She's going to be a Daddy's little girl." Brandon laughed, watching his girlfriend waddle towards the door. A breath left his lips after she left. He knew her better than anyone, and he knew that she was putting up a façade. She hadn't said much since yesterday's events and he refused to let the cracks he made in her walls be resealed.

She returned to the room a few minutes later. "Sorry, between the broken wrist and the big belly, everything takes longer to do."

A smile stretched Brandon's lips as Callie slipped back into the bed. He pulled her into his arms, inhaling the sweet, vanilla scent of her shampoo. "How are you feeling?"

Callie shrugged. "A little sore and my wrist hurts, but I'm okay."

"Are you actually okay?" Brandon asked. He could see right through. He could tell that she wasn't okay; that she was hurting in more ways than one. He also knew she wasn't one to spill her feelings. He had to pry.

Tears sparkled in Callie's eyes. "No."

"Talk to me." Brandon said, reaching up to push a strand curl behind her ear.

"I just feel like I finally start to make progress and then it gets destroyed. And I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how to get over this anymore. I'm constantly thinking about them. The smallest things bring me back to the woods. I'm constantly on edge waiting for one of them to show up somewhere." Her lower lip trembled as the tears began to spill over her lids.

Brandon's heart physically ached every time he saw his girlfriend cry. And then he always felt a surge of fury ignite within him at the usual cause of her tears: Vico and Liam. But part of him also felt relieved that she was crying. It meant she was letting out whatever pain or emotions she was feeling. He knew she cried with him the most because she trusted him; she was able to let her guard down in front of him. "They're not coming near you again. They're both behind bars where they'll stay until the trial and then once they're found guilty. You were making progress and now those wounds were reopened, but I promise you they will continue to heal again. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

"I just don't want to be dealing with this anymore." Callie whispered as Brandon's hand gently came up to cup her cheek, the pad of his thumb brushing away the tears on her bruised cheek. "I'm having a baby in a few weeks."

"I know, but you are, and you will be for a while. I would give anything for you to not have to deal with this. But I think the baby coming will be a distraction. A lot of your focus is going to be on that beautiful little girl." Brandon said as his hand slid down to her stomach. A smile found his lips when he felt the familiar jolt beneath his hand. He made a mental note to make sure Callie still took care of herself when Melody was born. It would be very easy for her to get caught up in caring for the baby and push away the things she needed to do to heal.

"Could you help me with something today that'll distract me?" Callie asked as she traced the letters on his t-shirt. She needed something to focus on; something that would stop her thoughts from ruminating on yesterday's events.

"Of course. Anything to help you." Brandon nodded, offering her a sincere grin.

"Can you help me with the nursery today?" Callie questioned softly. They had recently finished buying all the furniture and nursery accessories they needed for the baby. She and Brandon had painted the room a couple of weeks ago but had yet to do anything else.

"I would love to." Brandon placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "But I don't want you doing anything but directing and sitting there looking pretty."

Callie rolled her eyes but leaned in to press a kiss to his lips. "If you insist."

* * *

"If this goes there, where does this go?" Brandon muttered to himself as glanced back and forth between the pieces on the floor and the directions lying beside him.

Callie stifled a laugh as she watched Brandon struggle to assemble the crib. She sat in the rocking chair, folding the baby clothes from the laundry basket in front of her. She had washed all the new outfits for Melody, so they would be ready to use when she arrived. With only one functioning hand, it was taking longer than it should to complete. She didn't mind though; Brandon wasn't the handiest person and Callie found his attempts amusing. "How's it going over there?"

Brandon peeled his eyes away from the crib pieces to meet his girlfriend's eyes. He found a smirk stretched across her lips. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Callie couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "Should I be concerned about actually putting Melody in there once you have it assembled?"

Both their heads turned towards the open door as Jesus appeared in the doorway. "Do you need some help in here?"

"Yes please." Callie giggled, earning a playful glare from Brandon. "Brandon is struggling but won't let me do anything."

He narrowed his eyes at her again. He had never been so thankful for his lack of handiness. It made Callie laugh and that sound made him fall in love with her all over again. The sound of her laughter made joy and hope ignite within him; like the feeling a child has when waking up Christmas morning. "I'm doing just fine, and you need to rest."

"Dude, you're using the wrong kind of screwdriver." Jesus pointed at the tool in Brandon's hand and shook his head. His brother was nearly useless when it came to things like this.

"Isn't there just one screwdriver?" Brandon burrowed his eyebrows as he looked up to his brother.

Callie snorted out a laugh. Jesus let out a sigh as he reached into the tool bag beside Brandon and pulled out a box. He opened the box revealing a multitude of screwdriver heads. He pulled one out, grabbed the screwdriver from Brandon, and switched the tops. "No there isn't just _one_ screwdriver. Move over, dude. Let me do this so the baby can actually sleep in the crib."

Brandon huffed as he dropped the screwdriver onto the floor and stood. He waved to the pieces and tools on the floor. "It's all yours."

Jesus chuckled as he knelt to the floor. "Melody is lucky she has a handy uncle because god knows her daddy isn't."

Callie's heart warmed at Jesus's words. One of her biggest fears prior to telling everyone she was pregnant was them accepting the baby given the circumstances. That fear continued to be disputed. Hearing Jesus refer to himself as Melody's uncle and Brandon as Melody's daddy made her smile.

Brandon feigned insult as he watched Jesus easily slide two pieces of the crib together. Callie laughed again at Brandon's reaction. She dropped the last onesie on her lap into the laundry basket full of folded baby clothes and slowly planted her feet on the floor. She reached up to plant a kiss on Brandon's cheek. "Her daddy isn't handy, but he's sweet, and smart, and musically talented, and very handsome."

A smile stretched Brandon's lips as he threw his arm around Callie's shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, earning an eye roll from Jesus as he glanced at the two. "Enough with the sappiness."

"What's going on in here?" Mariana asked as she stepped into the doorway. "Are you guys putting the nursery together?"

"We sure are." Brandon said. "Want to help? This apparently isn't my forte and Callie's isn't allowed to do much more than direct and look pretty."

Callie looked up at her boyfriend with a raised eyebrow. "Um, I got more done than you. I folded all those clothes with one hand while you failed at putting together a quarter of the crib."

"But I'm handsome and smart." Brandon smirked, gently squeezing Callie's shoulder.

"Yes, you are." Callie laughed, reaching up to peck his lips. She turned to Mariana, pointing at a large shopping back in the corner of the room. "There's some wall décor in that bag if you want to put those up. You're good with decorating and detail, plus it's hard to do with one hand."

Mariana didn't hesitate to make her way to the shopping back. She began to rummage through the items. An aw left her lips as she pulled out butterflies made out of sheet music. "This is adorable."

"I just want her name above her crib, but other than that you have creative control." Callie said.

Mariana squealed. "It's going to look fabulous."

"Thank god we didn't take her shopping with us. Melody would have an over the top, pink, frilly, princess room." Brandon muttered against Callie's ear, but loud enough for them all to hear, which earned a glare from the tiny brunette.

Callie giggled as she placed her hand over her stomach. "But really, thank you guys for helping. We're running out of time and this would take forever for just us to do."

"Of course. We're here for you and the baby." Mariana smiled warmly as she placed a picture frame displaying a photo of one of Callie's sonograms on the dresser.

Jesus finished putting the crib together rather quickly, much to Brandon's dismay. Callie neatly tucked the folded the clothes into the draws of the dresser. Brandon helped decorate the room with Mariana, mostly by hanging things at heights she was unable to reach. Jude made his way into the nursery eventually and helped Callie organize the other products they bought for the baby. By midafternoon, the nursery was nearly finished.

Stef's eyes scanned the room as she stepped into the room. "Wow, it's looking good in here. It's hard to believe Jesus and Jude used to live in here."

"Well, Callie and I sanitized the room after they moved to the garage." Mariana said, earning a chuckle from Stef.

"The only thing that's missing is a baby." Stef grinned as her eyes found Callie who was placing a stuffed bunny into the crib. Stef strolled over to the pregnant brunette and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling, love?"

"A little sore, but I'm okay." Callie met Stef's eyes and forced a smile. Her body was achy, more so than her usual pregnancy aches, and her wrist was throbbing, but it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. She dealt with much worse pain.

"Don't overdo it." Stef warned. "Did you talk to Robert yet?" Stef asked.

"No." Callie whispered, her eyes casting down. Telling Robert meant thinking about it and that was the last thing she wanted to do. She knew he deserved to know; he was her father after all, but she didn't want to hear the disappointment in his voice, see the hurt in his eyes.

"He deserves to know, sweets." Stef pursed her lips as she watched the young brunette shift uncomfortably. "And unless you plan on avoiding him until the bruise on your face goes away and your wrist heals, you can't really hide it."

"I know." Callie sighed. She knew Stef was right and she knew the longer she waited, the worse it would be. "I'll call him and tell him to stop by. I don't want to tell him over the phone."

Stef offered a comforting smile before she placed a kiss to Callie's hairline. "I know it's not easy to discuss, but just remember that we all care about and love you."

Callie nodded. She knew Stef was right, but it didn't make it any easier. Shame and guilt consumed her at the disappointment and pain those she loved felt when she relayed news like this. "We're just about done in here and then I'll call him."

* * *

"Do you want me to come out with you?" Brandon offered as Callie disentangled herself from Brandon's arms as the sound of the doorbell.

Callie shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I should talk to him alone."

Brandon offered her a warm smile. He reached up to push her hair behind her ear before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I'll be right inside if you need me. I love you."

"Love you too." Callie whispered as she stood and made her way to the door. Callie opened the front door to find Robert anxiously waiting on the steps. She told him she needed to tell him something but hadn't hinted to what it was.

Robert's eyes widened, and his face contorted into a mix of shock and concern. His eyes darted from her face to her neck to her wrist. "Are you okay? What happened?

"I'm fine." Callie replied softly as she stepped onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind her. She led Robert to the swing on the corner of the porch, taking a seat.

"What happened?" Robert repeated impatiently as he sat beside her.

"You know how Vico was home on bail awaiting the trial?" Callie watched realization find Robert's face.

"He did this? He hurt you again?"

Callie glanced down at her lap, taking interest in the hem of her shirt. "He cut off his ankle monitor and came after me while I was waiting outside of school for Brandon. He knocked me out and took me to a vacant house. He…he didn't get too far I had my phone in my pocket and was able to call Brandon, plus Stef had tracked my phone."

Robert burrowed his eyebrows as he processed his daughter's words. He had wrangled his mind on his drive over here with possibilities of what this conversation could be concerning, but he never would have thought of this. Vico was supposed to be on strict house arrest. He was wearing an ankle bracelet with sensitive alarms that practically tracked his every move; Callie was supposed to be safe. And yet she was failed once again. "What do you mean he didn't get too far? Your-your bruised and your wrist…"

Callie swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting back images of Vico. "He hit and punched me. Broke my wrist. But he didn't…"

Robert waited a moment, but Callie's voice trailed off. He needed her to finish the sentence; he needed the confirmation. "He didn't rape you?"

Callie cringed at the word but shook her head. "Not this time. He…he tried, but Brandon got there before he had the chance."

Callie's voice cracked mid-sentence and Robert could tell she was barely holding it together. It amazed him how she held herself together. But it also concerned him. He knew she bottled in her emotions, partly because she had built nearly indestructible walls throughout her time in foster care and partly because she put everyone else before herself. "Callie, you don't have to hold it together all the time. Especially in front of me. I'm your father."

Tears glistened in her eyes. Her lower lip trembled. She had managed to keep herself distracted for a few hours with the nursery, but now she was forced to confront her demons. She chewed on her bottom lip as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I just…"

Robert held his arms open and she fell into his embrace. He rubbed her arm softly as her tears splashed onto his shirt. "Don't apologize, Cal. You're allowed to fall apart. You've been through so much. You can always talk to me."

"It just feels like any time I make progress it gets destroyed. I don't want to think about them anymore. I don't want them to win. But I just…when I'm not distracted they are all I can think about. I can't sleep without seeing them. And the slightest thing reminds me of them." Tears splashed onto Robert's shirt as she finally confessed her feelings into his chest.

"I can't imagine what you're going through, but I think that's to be expected. You've had one trauma after another and the way they hurt you was…vicious. But you're not letting them win, Callie." Robert said softly. His heart ached for the pain she was suffering from. "You're moving on with your life. You're going to work through this. And you are going to win when this goes to trial. They're going to spend a long, long time in prison paying for what they did to you. They hurt you Callie, but they didn't break you. They didn't win."

"I guess." Callie whispered. She sat up and placed a hand over her stomach, hesitating before meeting Robert's eyes. "I'm happy I'm having a daughter. I want to raise her to be a strong, independent girl. But it also terrifies me because I don't want her to go through what I did. I haven't even met her yet, but the thought of her going through that terrifies me."

Robert pursed his lips. "I didn't know you before this happened, but as your father, it kills me that this happened to you. And I can't imagine how Stef and Lena felt when you came home that night or when they were waiting in the hospital. And I worry all the time about Sophia. It's hard to be a girl in this world. Worrying also comes with being a parent, so you got that down already."

A small smile found Callie's lips as she reached up to wipe at her dampened cheeks. "I think I'm already a pro at that part."

"But you can't live your life in fear of what might happen. The most you can do is protect her in the ways that you can. You already said you want to raise her strong and independent. God forbid something does happen to her, she'll be strong enough to get through it, especially with her strong mother." Robert placed a hand on Callie's leg as he offered her a sincere smile.

"Maybe I'll just keep her locked up." Callie replied sarcastically, rubbing small circles over her belly. "And never let her near boys."

A chuckle left Robert's lips. "The first time she's sick or gets hurt or someone tells her something mean, or she gets her heart broken, it's going to hurt worse for you. But these are the things that strengthen them. And if you keep her away from boys, she can't find her Brandon."

A grin stretched Callie's lips. "True. Although I don't know how many Brandons are out there."

"I'm glad you found Brandon. He's a really good guy and he loves you. You may know this, but I want to say it anyway. What you went through wasn't…it's not what intimate relationships are." Robert stumbled on his words.

Callie shifted uncomfortably. She knew he was referring to sex, which was not something she really wanted to discuss with her father. "You don't have to…"

"No. I think it's important. I know you have Brandon and because of that, you know that not all men are like Vico and Liam. What you went through was awful and traumatizing, but that doesn't mean you can't have…normal adult relationships." Robert was aware he was being awkward. This was the reason why Jill always talked to Sophia about relationships and sex, but he felt this was important and he felt as though it was his job. He was the only male parental figure and Callie's life and he knew the value this had in coming from a male. A male Callie trusted. Because he knew this wasn't just a women's problem.

Callie's eyes returned to her fumbling hands. This was something her mind thought about countless times. Brandon was so caring and patient and she was so grateful for that, but she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be ready for that step.

"What I'm trying to say is that rape and sex are not the same thing." Robert noted that way Callie tensed at the word.

"I know." Callie whispered because she did know. She knew sex wasn't violent, painful, shameful, terrifying. She knew sex wasn't supposed to leave you feeling guilty and dirty. The rational part of her knew, but there was still part of her that couldn't separate the two. "Part of me does anyway."

"They're not the same thing. I know you probably don't feel comfortable talking about this with me, but you should talk about this with someone. Stef or Lena, your therapist, Jill." Robert suggested. "It's okay to have questions and to talk about it. And don't let anyone pressure you into anything you aren't ready for."

"That's not really an issue. Brandon would never." Callie smiled as she thought of the curly haired boy who occupied her heart.

"I didn't think so. That boy loves you. I can see it just in the way he looks at you." Robert grinned. He was grateful she found someone like Brandon; someone who truly loved her, who knew how to help her, who stood by her no matter what. Robert snaked his arm around Callie's shoulder and placed a kiss to her hair. "Thank you for telling me what happened."

"I didn't want to. More so I just didn't want to think about what happened, but I'm glad I did." She felt relieved now that she did disclose yesterday's events to him. His words had been reassuring and helped minimize some of her anxious thoughts, but she still hating talking. She didn't want to think about it and talking about it did just that.

 _So sorry for the long time between updates. I had a setback in my Lyme treatment and was drowning in work all semester, and of course, this was a chapter that needed a lot of work. I struggled with the flow of this one, but hope you enjoyed! There's lots of drama coming next chapter!_

 _Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! Happy New Year! Review!_


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Callie's eyes fluttered open. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up slowly and glanced around the room for Brandon, but he didn't seem to be in the room. She had been sleeping in his room since the Vico incident a couple of weeks ago. He always stayed in bed until she woke up except for the mornings he had to go to Idyllwild and she usually woke up when she heard him anyway. She pushed the blanket off her and planted her feet on the ground. She used the bathroom before heading downstairs.

"Happy birthday!"

Callie jumped slightly as she was greeted by the unsynchronized praise as she entered the kitchen. A smile found her lips; each of the fosters clan sat around the table, which held a large stack of pancakes. "Thanks, guys."

"Happy birthday, beautiful." Brandon smiled as he strolled towards her, a small, square box wrapped in birthday paper in his hand. He leaned forward to leave a kiss on her cheek before handing her the present.

Callie met his eyes with a smile as she took the box. She gently tore the paper and opened the box, revealing a beautiful silver bracelet with a dangling, heart locket. She opened the locket to find a photo of her sonogram inside. Callie's smile widened as she threw her arms around Brandon's neck, planting a kiss on his lips. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"Alright you two, come eat while the pancakes are still warm." Stef hollered as she began to serve the pancakes to each place setting at the table.

Brandon helped Callie clasp the bracelet onto her wrist before the two made their way to the kitchen table where their family waited. Brandon pulled the chair out for Callie. "How are my favorite two girls doing today?"

"My back is killing me, I have to pee nearly every hour, and I'm pretty sure my stomach can't stretch any further, but this one…" Callie wrapped her hands around her round stomach. "is good. She's kicking away."

Brandon grinned and pressed a kiss to the side of her head after pouring her a glass of orange juice. "Two more months."

Mariana scrunched her nose. "I think I'm just going to adopt kids."

"Adopting is amazing. But pregnancy is also a beautiful experience." Lena smiled as she rubbed her own stomach.

"It is." Callie agreed as she took a bite of pancake. "I'm complaining about some of the less beautiful parts. But I can tell you there is nothing more amazing than feeling the baby kick."

A smile sprouted across Brandon's lips. Callie continued to amaze him with her big heart. The pregnancy was a result of a brutal attack and yet she was describing it as beautiful.

"Plus, food has never tasted better." Callie smiled as she shoved another bite of pancake into her mouth. The brunette earned a laugh from the others sitting at the table.

Lena nodded in agreement. "I agree on that one."

* * *

Ugh, I look like a whale." Callie groaned as she gawked at her reflection. She wore a peach-colored sundress. It wasn't tightly fitted, but it hugged all her curves and the belt below the bust accented her round belly. Dresses had been a common part of her wardrobe the past month. It was July and it was stifling outside. A dress seemed to be the easiest and most lightweight thing to wear.

Brandon chuckled. "You don't look like a whale. You look beautiful."

Callie spun to face him and shook her head. "You're just saying that. I'm huge! Maybe I should wear something else."

"You're not huge. You're eight months pregnant." Brandon took a step closer to her, erasing the space between them. His hand found her waist as he gazed into her chocolate orbs. The eyes that made him fall in love with her all over again every time he looked into them. "You should keep this dress on because I think you look sexy."

Callie watched Brandon's eyes flicker down to her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut as Brandon's lips fell onto hers. Her hands wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. She felt her heart quicken as their lips danced in perfect synchrony. They'd been officially dating for over seven months, he's kissed her a million times, multiple times a day, and yet he still somehow made her heart race and fireworks erupt behind her eyelids every time his lips met hers.

It was only when they needed air that their lips separated. Brandon reached up to brush a strand curl behind her ear. "No more complaining that you look like a whale because you don't. You are gorgeous. Pregnancy looks sexy on you and I'm not just saying that."

Callie couldn't help them smile that found her lips as she leaned into him. No matter how fat or ugly she felt, he made her feel beautiful. "Can I least complain that I _feel_ like a whale? Because I do. This baby is heavy. It's exhausting carrying her around and I honestly don't know how my stomach is going to stretch any further, but it is because she's still growing."

A laugh left Brandon's lips. "Yes. You can complain all you want, just not about how you look."

"Okay." Callie sighed, and Brandon leaned forward to leave a gentle kiss on her forehead. She glanced at the alarm clock on Brandon's bedside table. "We should get going. You said we had to leave at five, right?"

"Yes." Brandon nodded. His eyes moved to the clock that read 5:01. He took Callie's hand in his and started for the door. "I just have to grab something out back."

Callie walked with Brandon downstairs and through the kitchen to the back door.

"Surprise!"

Callie nearly jumped out of her skin as familiar faces shouted as she stepped into the backyard. She met Brandon's eyes, who looked back at her apologetically. He knew she hated surprises and by his look, she also knew it wasn't his idea. Jude was suddenly standing before her wearing a huge grin and Callie assumed he had been the one to plan this. "Jude, what is this?"

"I wanted to do something special for your birthday. This is the first birthday in a while where we actually have a family. We wanted to help you celebrate."

Callie forced a smile at her younger brother. Anxiety was swimming in the pit of her stomach at all the eyes that were on her. She hated surprises. She hated having attention on her. But she pulled Jude into a hug. He put so much effort into this and excitement was practically radiating off him. She wouldn't disappoint him. "Thank you, Jude."

Brandon wrapped his arm around Callie's shoulder after Jude left to help Stef carry bottles of sodas. "You doing okay? I had to swear not to tell."

"Yeah, it's just a lot." She took his hand in hers.

"We will still go out to dinner. Just the two of us. But tomorrow." Brandon gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He had told her they were going out to dinner for her birthday to keep the surprise. Jude told him to keep her upstairs while they set up outside and the guests arrived.

"That sounds nice." Callie grinned, reaching up to peck his lips. "Come say hi to the Quinns with me."

Brandon walked with Callie to where Robert, Jill, and Sophia stood. He released Callie's hand as she greeted each of them with a hug.

"You look good, Callie." Jill complimented with a smile.

"Thanks," Callie replied, resting her hand on her bump.

"We should have a sleepover before the baby comes." Sophia suggested enthusiastically.

Callie smiled at her sister. She didn't know how to tell her that a sleepover probably wouldn't work. Callie hated sleeping away from Brandon. There had been a few nights where he stayed at Idyllwild overnight. She spent those nights awake half the night. The nightmares were worse when she wasn't with him. Even with him there, she was plagued by nightmares, but with waking up to Brandon's safe arms was so much easier. Sometimes she woke up crying or shouting. It was something she didn't want to expose to Sophia.

Robert must have sensed Callie's discomfort. He placed his hand on Sophia's shoulder. "Callie is welcome to stay whenever. She knows that. But she has a lot going on so let's not pressure her."

Sophia seemed to get the hint and nodded, offering Callie a smile. "But you better visit often when you have the baby. I want to spoil my niece."

"Okay, will do." Callie laughed. She caught the eye of the Girls United crew. "Excuse me, I'm going to say hi to my friends."

* * *

Wyatt." Callie startled as she heard footsteps behind her. She had stepped inside to the quiet kitchen to charge her phone. She was shocked to meet the eyes of her curly-haired ex. He left for Indiana again shortly after the winter ball. She hadn't seen him in months. "What are you doing here? Are you back for the summer?"

"Jude invited me. I ran into him at the beach a couple weeks ago. I'm lifeguarding." He explained, his gaze lowering to her swollen belly. "You're pregnant."

Callie was taken aback by the harshness in his voice. She smiled though as her hand found her stomach. "What gave it away?"

"Never really saw you as the type to get pregnant." His voice was dripping in bitterness. "I see you're with Brandon."

Callie's stomach clenched with uneasiness. It was obvious he was angry, but she didn't really know why. They hadn't ended on the best terms. They barely spoke after the winter ball. He had reached out to her while she was in the hospital, unknowingly to him. She had barely answered him and when she saw him at school, he called her out on her lies of being sick. She had avoided him after that. She didn't want to explain what was truly going on. Wyatt had left shortly after that and Callie wasn't sure if he had heard what happened from everyone else. "Wyatt…"

"You made me seem like I was crazy. You strung me along when you were hung up on him the whole time."

"Last time I checked, we were never officially dating. I didn't string you along. _You_ were the one to convince me to go for it with Brandon. And then you left." Callie retorted furiously. He had no right to confront her like this.

"Is it Brandon's baby? Or is it Vico's? I heard some rumors before I left. I know it's not mine since you were a prude for me and apparently only me." Wyatt spat.

"What did you just say?"

Callie whipped her head towards the door to find Brandon fuming, his fists clenched by his side. She could tell by the fury in Brandon's eyes that he had heard Wyatt's last words. She blinked dumbly. Wyatt's words felt like a slap to the face. The rest of the school didn't know her, but Wyatt did. Wyatt knew her well enough to know that those rumors weren't true. And to call her a prude when they hadn't even been officially dating?

"Don't worry man, we're just talking. She doesn't sleep with me, just everyone else." Wyatt sneered.

Brandon's nostrils flared. He lunged towards Wyatt and swung his fist into Wyatt's face. Callie gasped and stepped between the two before Wyatt came to his senses and retaliated. "Brandon!"

"What the fuck, man?" Wyatt shouted as he held his hand to his swollen face. "She's yours, what more do you want?"

"Enough!" Callie shouted, clenching her jaw as she looked at Wyatt. "You really want to know the truth? I pulled away from you because Vico and Liam attacked me at the winter ball. No, the baby isn't biologically Brandon's because despite what you think, I've never had consensual sex. Not that it's really any of your business."

Wyatt's eyes grew wide and the bitterness dissipated from his face as realization washed over him. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Guilt erupted in his stomach. "Callie…I'm sorry…I didn't…"

"Just leave. I don't want your pity." Callie spat before she took off upstairs before Wyatt had the chance to utter another word.

Wyatt watched her disappear towards the stairs before he turned to Brandon. "I didn't know. I wouldn't have…"

"Save it." Brandon interjected with a growl. He started for the stairs after his girlfriend. "Now you know why I'm so protective. You better be gone by the time I come back down, or I will throw you out."

Brandon found Callie exiting the bathroom when he arrived upstairs. She narrowed her eyes at him before moving towards her bedroom. Brandon gently grasped onto her arm in an attempt to stop her. "Let go of me."

"Callie." Brandon sighed, releasing her arm. "You're mad at me?"

"You know how I feel about violence."

He did know how she felt about violence. With good reason as she had been the victim to violence countless times. But he loved her more than anything and he would do anything to protect her. He refused to just stand there while Wyatt belittled her. "I was protecting you! He was saying awful things to you!"

"Okay, but he wasn't physically hurting me. I could have handled myself!" She shouted, throwing her arms in the air with frustration.

"I know that. I know you can handle it yourself." Brandon said in a calmer voice. He didn't want to fight with her; that was the last thing he wanted to do. "You're the strongest girl I know. But I wasn't there to protect you at the winter ball. And I was barely there to protect you a couple of weeks ago. So I wasn't going to just sit back and watch him talk to you that way. He had no right to say those things to you. Especially at your house on your birthday."

Callie let out a breath. She could see the guilt in his eyes and it killed her. He was still feeling guilty that he didn't save her the night of the winter ball. He was still feeling guilty that Vico attacked her a second time while she was waiting for him. She knew that was a contributing factor in hitting Wyatt. He took the opportunity to protect her while he had it. "Brandon, they set you up that night. He knew you would take the blame. He knew you would get in trouble and that's how he got you out of the way and isolated me. If it wasn't then and there I'm sure he would have found another time and place to do what he did. He was going to do it one way or another and honestly, maybe it was a good thing you weren't there both times. We know what he's capable of, who knows what he would have done to you to stop you from protecting me."

"He came after you because of me." Brandon's voice cracked mid-sentence.

"Brandon, I thought we went over this." Callie frowned as she stepped closer and reached up to cup his face. She gazed into his sad eyes, holding so much guilt. "I don't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself. You made a mistake, that didn't give them the right to do what they did. Liam wanted revenge on me anyway, which had nothing to do with you. And the last time Vico wanted revenge on me for opening my mouth. Do you blame me for him attacking again because I'm pressing charges? Or do you blame me for the first time with Liam because I liked the attention he gave me at first?"

"Of course not." Brandon shook his head immediately.

"Okay so how can you blame yourself? I've spent so much time blaming myself for things they did, but the only people we should be blaming are them." She planted a soft kiss to his lips. "I'm sorry for getting mad. I know you were protecting me. I just...unless he was physically hurting me, that's not the kind of protection I needed. There's no need for violence in a situation like that. It's not worth it. That's how you had your hand shattered, remember? And when I see things like that, I can't help but remember being on the receiving end of it."

Brandon nodded in agreement as he processed her words. He knew she was right; she usually was. But nothing made his blood boil more than someone hurting Callie and, at that moment, hitting the source seemed like the best thing to do. His fist pummeling into Wyatt's face was satisfying. The words he heard come out of the curly-haired boy were harsh, inaccurate, and uncalled for, and who knows what he had said to her before he walked into the kitchen. Wyatt hurt Callie and Brandon wanted to cause him pain; he deserved to feel pain for saying those things to Callie. But hitting him wasn't going to make up for the guilt of not being able to protect her in the past. Hitting him wasn't really going to solve anything. "I'm sorry. I just, I can't stand when people talk bad about you or when they say things that hurt you."

"And I love you for that. But punching someone isn't going to accomplish anything. I have no problem with you saying whatever the hell you want to someone, but you can't fight them." Callie said, reaching out for his hands. "I need you. I need you here with me. And if you fight everyone that says something bad about me, you won't be because you'll probably be in the hospital or worse."

"I'm not going anywhere." It was Brandon's turn to cup Callie's face, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. "And I'm glad you're not blaming yourself anymore."

Callie nodded against his hand. "There are days I forget, but I know now what they did isn't my fault."

"It isn't, and I'll remind you every day if I have to." He pressed a ginger kiss to her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. "Are you okay? You know what Wyatt said isn't true."

Callie inhaled deeply and nodded her head. He had insinuated that she was a slut and that hurt, because on the days that she still did blame herself, she felt like a slut. But she knew Wyatt. She knew he was impulsive and acted on whatever emotion he was feeling. She knew he was angry she had pulled away from him before he left. That anger paired with the shock that she was pregnant caused him to lash out. He wanted to say something that would hurt her because he was angry. And she knew he had immediately regretted it after she divulged the truth to him, but it was going to take her time to forgive him. "I know, I'm fine. Except my back is killing me and I feel like I'm carrying a bowling bowl inside my stomach, so I need to sit. But we should probably go back outside before they notice we're gone."

Brandon chuckled, throwing his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder. "Okay, we'll go find somewhere to sit outside."

The two made their way back to the party hand in hand. They were headed towards empty chairs when Mike called their attention, standing beside an unfamiliar face. "B!"

Brandon paused and whipped his head towards the voice. He led Callie over to his father. "What's up, Dad?"

Mike offered Callie a smile before gesturing to the tall, muscular teenager standing beside him. "I wanted to introduce you to AJ. I'm going to be fostering him."

Brandon burrowed his eyebrows. "You're fostering?"

"Yeah, he was brought down to the station. I got to know him, and your moms talked me into fostering him." Mike explained with a grin. He looked at AJ and pointed to Brandon. "This is my son Brandon."

AJ held his hand out to Brandon, who accepted it with a gentle shake. "Mike's told me a lot about you."

"It's nice to meet you." Brandon replied. He glanced at Callie. "This is my girlfriend, Callie."

AJ locked eyes with Callie, his gaze lingering before dropping to her stomach. He peeled his eyes away and glanced at Mike. "I thought Stef and Lena were fostering Callie."

"They were. It's complicated, but Brandon and I fell for each other and long story short, the dad I recently found out about got custody, but I still live with the Fosters." Callie spoke up, watching AJ nod as he tried to process her words. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"As is every person's life who has been in the foster system." AJ said, earning a nod from Callie. "Happy Birthday, by the way."

"Thanks." Callie smiled, wincing slightly as she brought her hands to her stomach.

"You okay?" Brandon asked, concern laced in his voice.

"Yeah, I think she's just trying to kick her way out." Callie laughed, rubbing her bump in an attempt to calm her. "I swear she's going to be a soccer player."

"That means my granddaughter is strong and healthy in there."

Callie met Mike's eyes to find sincerity swimming in them. His words warmed her heart, nearly bringing tears to her eyes, which she had the pregnancy hormones to blame. Mike had been reluctant in accepting that Brandon was going to raise Melody as his own. She had overheard Mike lecturing Brandon about this stifling his future. He would have to give up so much and Mike worried that he would sacrifice his college education and dreams. Brandon had to reassure Callie that his father's words meant nothing and that they had been and would always be in it together. But now Mike was standing before her referring to her baby as his granddaughter. Not only was he accepting that Brandon would be helping Callie, but he was also considering this baby Brandon's daughter and his granddaughter.

"Thank you, Mike. That means a lot to me." She said softly with a smile. She felt AJ eyeing her and she knew he was trying to figure out the situation. She didn't know how much Mike told him, but she would leave it to him to answer AJ's questions. She wasn't going to divulge her story to someone she barely knew. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go sit because this baby weights a lot."

Callie and Brandon walked hand and hand to the outdoor living room and took a seat on the couch. Brandon wrapped his arm around Callie's shoulder as she leaned into his embrace. His eyes found AJ and his father talking in the distance. "That's kind of strange, huh?"

Callie turned her head to look at Brandon. "What? Your dad fostering?"

"Yeah. I mean he's never talked about fostering." Brandon shrugged. "I just feel like I'm never good enough for him."

Callie placed her hand on Brandon's knee. "That's not true. Mike loves you more than anything. He's watched Stef and Lena foster all these years and he probably wanted to help someone, make a difference in their lives like them."

"I guess." Brandon sighed. "I just got a weird vibe from him. It sounds like he was in juvie."

"I was in juvie." She reminded, pursing her lips.

"Well, you're a lot prettier." Brandon smirked, earning a smile from his girlfriend. His face hardened with jealousy. "But he was looking at you too."

Callie scoffed. "Yeah okay. I'm eight months pregnant, Brandon. I doubt he was looking at me."

"He was." Brandon pouted with annoyance.

Callie's heart fluttered at Brandon's jealousy. She was pretty familiar with his jealous side. It made an appearance not long after she met him. It was when she started to talk to Wyatt. Their feelings for one another were forbidden though. Now that they were finally together, there was something different about his jealousy. It was something she could enjoy now, whereas his jealousy in the past had almost been painful; it had been a reminder that they couldn't indulge in their feelings.

She shifted on the couch and placed a hand on his cheek. Leaning forward, she planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Well, it doesn't matter because I love you and only you."

"That makes me feel better." He grinned.

 _Thanks for reading! Just a reminder that since this story takes place after Metropolis, Callie never started working at the drop-in center, and hence did not meet AJ. Next chapter is quite intense so stay tuned!_

 _Review!_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A smile found Callie's lips as she heard the familiar sounds of a Someone's Little Sister song. Listening to Brandon play would always make her stomach warm, especially now that he was playing classical again. He still played in the band, but classical would always occupy his heart more. The pride she felt in watching him win the Idyllwild competition a couple of weeks ago was indescribable. Now he was playing at the annual end of summer party at Anchor Beach.

"You know, it's pretty awesome that our boyfriends play in the same band." Mariana said from her spot beside Callie. "When they get gigs to play in we get to watch them and hang out together."

Callie smiled as her hand rested on her nearly nine-month pregnant belly. "I don't know how many gigs I'll be going to."

"Right. Well, you can just bring her with us."

Callie burrowed her eyebrows at the younger brunette. "I don't think it's really suitable for an infant to be at gigs. Unless they're playing here or a fundraiser or something."

"Well yeah, those times." Mariana agreed. "I can't believe you're due in like a month."

Callie inhaled deeply. "I know. I…"

"Are you okay?" Mariana asked with concern after Callie paused mid-sentence, clenching her stomach. "Did we just jinx it? Are you going into labor?"

A small laugh escaped Callie's lips as she shook her head. "No. It's just these Braxton Hicks contractions. They've been bothering me all day."

"Why don't you go sit down? I was going to go say hi to Tia, but I'll get you something to drink. You need to stay hydrated." Mariana suggested.

"No, go say hi to Tia. I'll go sit."

"Okay, but I'll get you something to drink after." Mariana promised. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes." Callie nodded. She watched Mariana take off into the crowd before turning and walking in the opposite direction to the seating area. She winced as the pain in her abdomen strengthened. Her feet stopped moving. She had been experiencing what she assumed was Braxton Hicks all day, but this felt worse and it continued to worsen with each wave of pain. This was a sharp pain rather than a crampy one. She inhaled deeply as the pain eased into a dull ache. Her eyes glanced around the beach, but Mariana had disappeared into the sea of people and she couldn't find Lena or Jesus in the crowd. A small gasp escaped her lips as the pain shot through her abdomen and back. Her hand found her stomach as she began to take off into the school. She wanted to get somewhere quiet, away from all the people. Apparently, she wasn't okay. Maybe she really was in labor. She would get to the bathroom and text Mariana to meet her there. She practically stumbled into the bathroom as she felt a gush of fluid. Her body froze. The pain intensified. She hesitantly looked down. Utter panic erupted in her stomach as she saw her shorts soaked in blood.

Another stab to her abdomen sent her to the floor as she clutched her stomach. Her heart raced in her chest, fearing for the life of her daughter. Something was definitely wrong. Bleeding in the third trimester was never a good sign. Bleeding this much at any time of the pregnancy was never a good sign. Why did she insist to Mariana that she was okay?

She reached into her pocket for her phone. She had left during Brandon's last song and she no longer heard the distant sounds of the base. The phone rang twice. Callie prayed to a higher power that he would answer. Finally, on the fourth ring, his voice came through the phone. "Brandon, something is wrong. I'm in the bathroom closest to the beach."

Brandon's heart sank to his stomach. It sounded as though she were crying. He sprinted towards the school's side entrance. "I'm on my way."

Callie gritted her teeth as the pain continued to worsen. She threw her head back against the wall as tears tumbled down her cheeks. How did this get so bad so suddenly? "Please be okay, baby girl."

Brandon darted into the bathroom, his heart stopping when he saw his girlfriend doubled over on the floor, her pants red and a puddle of blood forming beneath her. His knees buckled and he nearly fell to the floor. "Oh my god."

"It hurts." She choked out, fear and pain glimmering in her eyes. It felt as though someone was stabbing her over and over again with a searing knife.

"I'm calling 911." His shaky fingers dialed the numbers as he ran to the entrance of the bathroom. His eyes darted around the hall to find someone entering the school. He waved his hand to grab their attention. "Go get Lena now!"

Brandon turned back to Callie. His stomach churned. The blood pooling beneath her only seemed to grow. She was trembling violently, her hands still holding her stomach. Her face had turned a ghostly shade of white. "Brandon, the baby."

He knelt beside her, pushing her hair out of her face. This felt like an awful nightmare. How did this happen? He had left her twenty minutes ago. She had been fine and now she was lying in agony, bleeding profusely. "It's going to be okay. Help is on the way."

The sound of heels clicking against the hard floors approached. Lena was suddenly standing in the entrance of the bathroom, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. There was so much blood. She had to blink more than once to make sure she was seeing correctly. "Oh god."

Everything became a blur for Callie. Brandon was on the phone with 911 while Lena asked her questions. A crowd had developed in the hall outside the bathroom as people tried to see what was happening. But Callie couldn't focus on anything but the excruciating pain and the fear for her daughter's life. Sirens blared outside the school. Paramedics rushed into the bathroom with a stretcher.

"Brandon, please don't leave me." She cried, her grip tight on Brandon's hand as they started to push the stretcher out of the bathroom. She was trembling violently, and her eyes were glossy.

"Lena has to ride with you. I'm driving straight to the hospital." Brandon told her as he walked with her. The thought of leaving her nearly tore his heart out of his chest. But there was no time to argue with paramedics. Time was crucial right now and he would be damned if he wasted any second.

"No, please." She let out a helpless sob, tightening her hold on his hand. She needed him. There was so much unknown, and she needed him there with her. "Don't leave me. Please."

Lena's panic surged as she watched the girl plead desperately. Callie wasn't even trying to be strong nor was she making any attempt to hide her pain. Even after she had nearly been beaten to death, Callie put on a hard face and refused to admit just how much pain she was in. Even when Callie wanted Brandon more than anything, she never begged for him. And so, based on Callie's current demeanor Lena knew it was bad.

"We can fit in two people." One of the paramedics told Brandon. If the teenage boy made the girl feel better, he could let him stay.

"Mama!" Mariana shouted as she pushed passed the crowd where everyone was watching Callie being loaded into the ambulance. Her eyes doubled in size when she saw the blood coating Callie's thighs. She didn't understand. Callie had said she was fine. Guilt swam in her stomach for leaving her alone. She should have insisted to stay with her. "What's going on?"

Lena whipped her head around to see her daughter's nervous eyes. "Mariana, call Mom. Tell her Callie needed to be brought to the ER. Find Jesus and Jude and tell her to pick you guys up and meet us at the hospital."

Mariana nodded pulling out her phone to call her mother.

"Callie, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" A young blonde in a paramedic uniform asked as they closed the back door. The sirens screamed again as the truck started on the road.

"Thirty-four weeks." Callie whispered. She felt like the world was spinning around her and she wasn't sure if it was from pain, fear, or blood loss; probably a combination of all three. Someone was placing a mask over her face while another slipped an IV needle into her arm. She felt a cuff tightening around her upper arm. Her eyes found Brandon, who took her hand in his. Tears spilled over her lids. "Brandon."

"I know, I know." He whispered softly, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. His heart pounded against his chest. "They're going to help you, okay? And I'm not going to leave your side."

Tears tumbled down Lena's cheeks as she quietly watched the encounter. So much had happened so fast and she couldn't process what was happening. All she knew was that it felt like an eternity had passed before the ambulance pulled into the emergency room entrance.

"Seventeen-year-old female, thirty-four weeks pregnant, suspected placental abruption." The paramedic announced as she brought the stretcher into the emergency room. "BP 70 over 50. Heart rate 118."

Callie watched doctors race around her, shouting words to one another that she didn't understand. She saw a tall brunette in scrubs slip on a pair of gloves and suddenly her hand was between her legs. Callie shrieked as she thrashed at the touch. She couldn't even remember when her shorts were taken off.

The doctor was alarmed by the sudden reaction and pulled her hand away. Brandon tried to soothe Callie, pushing her hair off her sweaty forehead. He was pretty sure this situation couldn't get any worse. It felt as though his heart was being torn from his chest. Watching her suffer was more than he could handle.

"This pregnancy is a result of…assault." Lena told the doctor, whose face contorted into sympathy.

"Callie, I'm not going to hurt you. I have to check to make sure the baby is okay." The doctor said softly. "I'm going to be quick and gentle."

Callie nodded, squeezing Brandon's hand. She flinched when the doctor presumed the pelvic exam. As if what was happening wasn't bad enough, Vico and Liam's faces floated behind her lids. They somehow haunted her in nearly every situation.

"She's fully dilated. The placenta is completely separated. The baby has already dropped. She needs to deliver this baby now." The doctor announced urgently. Nurses scrambled to get the proper materials, while others poked and prodded Callie, still hooking her up to different machines. "Callie, I need you to push for me."

Callie shook her head frantically. She was supposed to have another 6 weeks; 6 weeks for the baby to continue to grow and develop. "No, it's too soon. It's too soon."

"I know, but this baby needs to be delivered now or you and the baby will be in danger. A baby has a very high chance of survival at 34 weeks." Her heart was breaking for the young girl before her who was clearly suffering from physical and emotional pain.

"It's okay, Callie. You can do this." Lena said, taking her other hand and squeezing it gently. She couldn't imagine how scared the girl was at this moment.

Callie let out a sob and nodded. She began to push, but it felt like she was climbing a mountain with fifty pounds on her shoulders. White, hot pain erupted behind her eyelids.

"I can't find a heartbeat." A nurse whispered as she watched the flat line on the monitor.

Her heart stopped. She swore her heart actually stopped for a moment. She couldn't find a heartbeat. She couldn't find her daughter's heartbeat. The child that she had been carrying for over eight months, protecting for 34 weeks, loving for 238 days, had no heartbeat. Time stood still.

Lena felt her more tears slide down her cheeks. This girl couldn't catch a break. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this and yet the world kept playing one cruel trick after another on her.

"Callie, I need you to keep pushing. The head is crowning." The doctor encouraged.

"I can't. I can't." She sobbed. The pain was unbearable. She was exhausted. And now her heart had been ripped through her chest.

Brandon pressed a ginger kiss to her forehead, blinking back tears. He was hoping this was just an awful nightmare. That he would wake up in a cold sweat any minute and find Callie sleeping soundly beside him, Melody still healthy inside of Callie. "Callie, you can do this."

"One more push." The doctor said, urgency in her voice. She needed this to be quick, so she could tend to Callie. "C'mon Callie, I need you to push one more time."

Callie threw her head back, shaking her head frantically as tears streamed down her cheeks. This was a pain like no other. This was an emotional turmoil. "I can't. I can't do it."

Brandon pushed the hair that clung to her sweaty forehead away. His tear glistening eyes looked into hers, filled with utter heartbreak and despair. "Yes, you can. You're my Callie, you can do anything. C'mon, one more push and it's all over."

Callie choked out a cry as she nodded. She squeezed Brandon's hand tightly and pressed her chin to her forehead to give one final push. The doctor was suddenly holding the tiny baby, wrapping it in a pink blanket. The baby was silent, lifeless. She handed the baby to Callie, who took it in her arms and let out a heart-wrenching sob. The baby girl was so tiny, yet so beautiful. Her eyes were shut, but she resembled Callie so much with dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, and button nose. Callie cradled the baby to her chest, her aching body heaving with sobs.

Failure. That's what Callie felt right now. She had failed at protecting her daughter. She had failed at providing her a safe place to grow and nourish before she came into the world. She would never take a breath, never open her eyes, never cry, and never learn to crawl or walk or talk.

Brandon swallowed down his own cries as he watched his girlfriend cradle the little girl. The baby he had been so excited to meet. The baby he had helped create a nursery for, picked out clothes and necessities for. He had felt the baby beneath Callie's belly; he had felt the actual life of the baby. He had talked to her and watched Callie talk to her. They had picked out a name for her. He had visions of the two of them raising the little girl, holding her, playing with her, _loving_ her. And yet the baby he had anxiously been waiting to meet was suddenly gone; lying in Callie's arms lifelessly. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He wasn't quite sure how losing someone he had never met could be so painful, but it was. It was so painful.

Callie's eyelids grew heavy. Black spots danced in her vision. Her eyes fluttered. Brandon blinked back his tears and placed a hand on her cheek. "No, keep your eyes open. Callie, stay awake."

"She's losing too much blood." The doctor announced, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Bp is dropping. 60 over 40."

A nurse took the baby from Callie's arms. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and suddenly her body fell limp. Lena let out a sob and Brandon shook her gently. He shook his head as he broke down in sobs. "No, no, Callie, wake up. Wake up!"

"She's in hypovolemic shock."

"Should we prep for a hysterectomy?" A nurse questioned.

Lena shut her eyes tightly. This girl had gone through hell and now her chance at having children was going to be stolen from her too?

"No, she's too young. I can't do that to her. Start a blood transfusion. Page the OR." The doctor shouted as the machines attached to Callie began to scream. "She's going into v-fib. Push one of epi."

"No, no, no! Callie! You can't leave me!" Brandon cried as he watched the lines on her heart monitor fall to a flat line. Someone was pulling him away, but he was trying to fight it. He couldn't leave her. He needed to be with her. "Let go! Let me stay with her! Callie!"

"Sir, you can't be here. She's going up to surgery." A male in scrubs said as he pulled Brandon out of the room, Lena following behind. Brandon wasn't even sure when this guy appeared in the room. He watched as they rushed Callie down the hall to what he assumed was towards the OR.

Brandon threw himself against the wall before collapsing to the floor. He drew his knees to his chest and buried his head in his hands as sobs wracked his body. This was too much. It was all too much. He just watched his girlfriend deliver her lifeless baby; the baby that he saw as his daughter. He watched her suffer from excruciating physical and emotional pain. And then he watched the life escape her body. He watched her heart stop. The girl he would sacrifice his own life for, the girl he would move heaven and earth for, the girl he would do anything for, the girl he loved more than anything, more than life itself, heart stopped. And they whisked him away from her before he had the chance to see it beating again. He couldn't lose his daughter and girlfriend in one day. He couldn't lose Callie. He couldn't survive in a world without her.

Lena watched through her own tears as her son sobbed on the floor. Her mind was screaming to comfort her son, to be the strong one. She was a mother after all; that was part of her job. But her legs were frozen. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Brandon. She couldn't find her words. She normally told her kids that it was okay, that everything would work itself out, that they would get through this. But this was different. She couldn't make those promises. She didn't know if Callie was going to survive, and if she did nothing was okay; they just witnessed the heart-wrenching loss of her baby.

 _Thanks for reading! I know, it's dark. This was actually the plan from the start. We'll find out if Callie is okay next chapter._

 _Review!_


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Brandon, let's go to the waiting room to see if Mom is there." Lena all but whispered as she finally found the strength to speak.

"I…I can't. Callie." He choked out as he lifted his head from his heads. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, his cheeks were soaked as tears continued to roll down them.

"She's in surgery, she's in good hands. Sitting on the floor isn't going to change anything. You'll be more comfortable in a chair." Lena's voice was strained as she tried to hold her tears back. She needed to be strong for him. She held out her hand. "Callie is strong. She's a fighter."

He hesitated before taking Lena's hand and planting his feet on the ground. She rested her hand on his back and rubbed it soothingly as they started down the hall. When they arrived in the waiting room, Lena spotted her wife becoming agitated with the woman at the front desk. The blonde lifted her head at the approaching footsteps and practically stumbled towards Lena and Brandon. Her stomach plummeted when she saw their distraught faces and her son crying. "What's going on? What happened? Where's Callie?"

Lena glanced at Jesus, Mariana, and Jude who looked at Brandon and Lena anxiously. She patted Brandon on the back. "B, why don't you take a seat?"

Brandon threw himself into one of the chairs, staring ahead as silent tears streamed down his face. His mind was jumbled; he struggled to process the events of the past hour. He needed Callie to be okay. He needed her to make it out of this alive.

"Lena." Stef swallowed thickly.

"Callie's in surgery." Lena began, struggling to keep her voice even. She couldn't fall apart in front of her children. "The placenta abrupted and she went into labor. She…she went into shock from hemorrhaging."

Stef felt a lump developing in her throat. She knew the dangers of women hemorrhaging during childbirth "And the baby?"

Everyone glanced at Brandon as he choked out a sob. The image of a lifeless Melody in Callie's trembling arms floated behind his lids. Lena felt more tears spring to her eyes as she slowly shook her head. "She…uh lost the baby."

Stef closed her eyes. Mariana reached for Jude's hand, both of them crying. Jesus stared ahead distantly.

"Is she going to be okay?" Jude asked through tears.

Lena and Stef exchanged glances. Stef knew her wife wasn't saying everything she knew, and her fear tripled when Lena hesitated. "We don't know much right now. She's in surgery. But Callie's strong. I'm sure she will pull through."

Fear swam in the pit of all their stomachs. Jude shook his head in disbelief. Callie had been the only family he had for seven years. She protected him from the horrors of foster care as best as she could. She took beatings for him, sacrificed her own needs for his, practically raised him. He wouldn't be okay without her. "It's not fair. It's not fair that she has to keep fighting like this. That these bad things keep happening to her."

"I know, bud." Stef frowned because there was nothing else to say. She met Lena's uneasy eyes before looking to her children all sitting side by side with matching expressions of sadness and worry. "I'm going to grab a cup of coffee with Mama. You guys stay here and stay positive okay?"

Jude nodded and watched his mothers take off down the hall, wondering if there was information being left out. u

"What aren't you telling the kids? What's going on?" Stef asked when they were far enough away from the kids.

"It's bad, Stef." Lena's voice cracked as her eyes glistened with tears. "There was so much blood and when she got here she was already fully dilated, and the baby dropped so they had no choice but to deliver vaginally and then they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. They couldn't find her heartbeat and Callie still had to deliver her. And then she was holding her and she fell unconscious and then Callie's heart stopped. It stopped, Stef. And they mentioned a hysterectomy."

Stef let the tears roll down her cheeks now that she was away from the kids. She pulled Lena into her arms and the two latched onto each other as if they were each other's lifeline. "We'll get through this. We always do."

Lena pulled out of her wife's arms, wiping at her dampened cheeks as she shook her head. "I don't know if Callie can. Worse and worse things just keeping happening to her, Stef. This one is bad. Really bad. And that's if she even comes out of this alive."

Stef watched her wife break down into tears once again. She pulled her back into her arms, tracing circles on her back. "They haven't given us an update yet, so she must be in surgery, which means they started her heart again."

"We should head back to the kids. They shouldn't be alone right now. Especially Brandon. He's a mess right now."

Stef nodded in agreement. She quickly filled up a cup of coffee so the kids wouldn't be suspicious about why they left. Plus, it was undoubtfully going to be a long night. They returned to the waiting room and sat with their children, attempting to comfort them. Brandon alternating between pacing the room and sitting restlessly in the chair. Time seemed to be on a standstill as they all anxiously awaited news on Callie.

Stef and Lena jumped up when they finally saw one of the nurses. Brandon remained in his seat but grasped onto the armrests of his chair tightly, bracing himself. "Please tell me she is alive."

"They're finishing up surgery, but Callie is in stable condition. As you know, Callie suffered from placental abruption, which led to many other complications. She fell into shock from the blood loss. For temporary measures to stabilize her, we placed a balloon in her aorta and uterus to temporarily minimize the bleeding. We had to perform an exploratory laparotomy, where we ended up removing remaining pieces of the placenta. She also had vaginal and cervical tears. In order to prevent a hysterectomy, Dr. Williams took multiple measures to stop the bleeding using a combination of stitching up the lacerations, as well as stitching the uterus, ligating arteries, and embolizing blood vessels."

Brandon let out a sigh of relief. She pulled through; she was alive, she was stable. But his stomach remained in knots. He needed to see her alive and breathing with his own eyes.

"Where do we go from here? Are there other complications from this? Will she be able to conceive in the future?" Stef asked, her mind swirling at the information.

"Dr. Williams can go over her recovery plan and discuss the surgery and its outcomes in more detail. I can tell you that she's going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes up and there could be fertility difficulties or there may be none. It's hard to say, but it's not a definite no chance of pregnancy like a hysterectomy."

"Okay, thank you." Stef forced a smile at the nurse before the woman took off down the hall. She turned to face her kids, letting out a breath. "She's okay. She's going to be okay."

Brandon wanted to scream. She was alive and stable, but she was not okay. Nothing about this was okay. She nearly died, she had to deliver her lifeless daughter, and now she could face fertility issues in the future. This was anything but okay and Brandon wasn't sure if it ever would be.

* * *

Brandon opened the door slowly. His eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks were puffy. His heart broke when he saw Callie lying in the bed unconsciously. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the steady lines on the heart monitor, the subtle twitch in her eyes. They were all signs she was alive. He strolled towards the chair in the corner of the room and pulled it against her bed. Taking a seat, he gently took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on the top of her hand. His eyes studied her face. Every line, every curve, every indent. He sat up straighter when he saw her eyes flutter open.

She blinked several times, adjusting to the light. Eventually, her eyes focused on him. Confusion swam in her eyes and then suddenly everything crashed into her. "Brandon."

Her voice came out as nothing more than a husky whisper. Brandon stood to press a ginger kiss to her forehead. "Hey, I'm here."

"Melody." She choked out, her lower lip trembling.

"I know. I know." Brandon murmured. He didn't know what to say to her. There were no words to make this better. "You scared us. We didn't know if you were going to be okay for a little while. Your heart stopped."

Callie couldn't help but think that it wouldn't have been a bad thing if she didn't make it. Life wasn't worth it anymore, but she couldn't do that to Brandon, to her family. Especially Jude who had been through enough in his thirteen years.

"Are you in a lot of pain? Do you need me to get the doctor?"

The pain was bad. Her abdomen and lower half felt like they had been ripped open and her insides sliced apart. In a way they were. The pain was similar to the pain she experienced in the hospital after the night of the winter ball. It was another awful reminder of that night. But she didn't want doctors examining her. So she shook her head, even though she was well aware that Brandon could read right through her.

"Someone came to speak with us. They said that you can see her again if you want. There's this company that takes photos. You can dress her and spend some time with her. Mariana ran home to get some of the outfits we bought if you do." Brandon's voice cracked on the last part as he thought back to them wandering baby stores, smiling and laughing as they picked out baby clothes. "It's completely up to you."

Callie looked at him with tears rimmed in her eyes. "I…I want to. I need to see her again."

Brandon nodded. He knew she only had a short time with the baby before she lost consciousness. "Okay. I'll let them know."

"Will you stay?" Callie croaked timidly.

Brandon took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He was slightly relieved. He too wanted to say goodbye but would not have gone against Callie's wishes if she wanted to be alone. "Of course. If you want me there then I'll be there."

* * *

The nurse entered the room, wheeling in a cot. She pushed it to Callie's bedside and smiled sadly at the young couple. "I'll leave you two alone."

Tears stung Brandon's eyes as he looked down at the still baby in the cot. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the events of the past few hours. He glanced at Callie who peered into the cot, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and her face painted with anguish. "Do you want to hold her?"

She nodded, her face scrunching together slightly in an attempt to hold back the tears. Brandon slowly reached into the cot, sliding his hands beneath the baby. He moved meticulously to lift the baby into his arms. He felt as though she would break with any sudden movements. A twinge shot through his heart. He lifted the baby to his chest and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before he passed her to Callie.

A sob ripped through Callie's throat as she cuddled her daughter in her arms. She had dreamed of this moment, looked forward to it; the moment that she held her daughter. But it wasn't supposed to be like this. She wasn't supposed to feel so hopeless and broken. She wasn't supposed to be holding a lifeless child. She stared down at the little girl, studying every feature, engraving every detail in her memory. "She's so beautiful. So perfect."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment as he felt hot tears ooze from them. He leaned over Callie's bed, nuzzling his nose in her soft curls and kissing her head. "She is. She's so perfect."

Callie lifted the baby slightly to kiss her forehead. "I love you, my sweet Melody. I love you so, so much and that will never change."

Brandon planted another kiss to Callie's hair. She peeled her eyes off Melody to glance at Brandon before she scooted over in her bed to make room for him. A wince fell across her face as her lower half screamed in pain at the movement. Brandon slid onto the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her. His eyes traveled to Melody's face, trying to memorize every feature. "She looks like you."

Callie leaned into Brandon. "I don't want to let her go."

"I know. Me either." Brandon whispered, reaching up to gently stroke Callie's hair. "Do you want to dress her?"

Callie nodded as she ran her thumb over Melody's smooth cheek. "M-maybe one of the jumpsuits. So, she looks comfortable. Like she's sleeping."

Brandon planted his feet on the ground and grabbed the shopping bag off the counter. He reached inside and pulled out a fleece, polka dot footie jumpsuit with a butterfly in the middle. He held up the article of clothing to show Callie. "How about this?"

Callie blinked back more tears as she nodded her head. When she bought that jumpsuit, she had imagined dressing Melody in it before bed. Never once did it cross her mind that she would be dressing her in it to be memorialized. "That one is perfect."

Brandon watched as Callie pushed the blanket off her body and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her movements were stiff and slow as she stood. He didn't fail to notice the pain that crossed over her face. "Are you supposed to be up and walking?"

Callie kissed Melody's head before sliding her into the cot. She took the piece of clothing from Brandon. "I don't care about what I'm supposed to or not supposed to do right now. I have limited time with her. She's all that matters right now."

Brandon only nodded. He was concerned for Callie's health, she had gotten out of surgery less than two hours ago. But he completely understood and knew arguing would be a waste. He watched Callie's tender hands unwrap the blanket wrapped around Melody. His heart shattered for the millionth time that day. Callie seemed so natural with the baby; her maternal instincts making a strong appearance. He couldn't understand why this was happening. He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. "Can I take some pictures?"

Callie nodded as she continued to dress the baby. She picked her back up, cradling her to her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as more tears erupted from her eyes. She inhaled deeply as she started back towards the bed. Brandon made his way over to her and helped her back into the bed. He joined her, both of their eyes focused on the little girl in Callie's arms. The same thoughts swirled in both their minds. All the dreams, all the hopes, all the plans they had made were suddenly gone.

The two spent the next couple of hours holding the little girl; treasuring their limited time with her. The professional photographer made a visit and spent time taking photos of Melody and Callie and Brandon with Melody. Callie wasn't sure if she could handle looking at these photos any time soon, but she knew she would cherish them in the future.

The nurse returned to take Melody away. Tears streamed down Callie's face and she brought the little girl's head to her lips, leaving a soft kiss on her skin. "Goodbye, my sweet girl. I love you so, so much."

Brandon swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched his girlfriend say goodbye to the baby. They weren't supposed to be saying goodbye. They were supposed to be cooing over her, celebrating the new life. Callie passed Melody to Brandon, choking out a sob as she did so. Brandon also kissed the top of her head, inhaling the baby's sweet scent. "I love you, Melody."

Callie's body shook with sobs as she watched the nurse leave with her daughter. She was gone. Her heart physically ached with pain from the loss of her daughter. Callie would never free her mind from the lifeless body that she held for only a short time. It wasn't supposed to end this way. She was supposed to hold her until she was too big to be held. She wanted to rock her to sleep at night, hold her while she ate, cradle her as she cried.

She knew she loved her daughter from the minute she found out she was pregnant. She didn't want to be pregnant, not at sixteen and not with a monster's child, but she loved her. She was half of her after all and she believed Lena and Stef's words- DNA doesn't make a family, love does. She would have done everything to protect her child while she was pregnant, but now that she was gone she really understood just how much she loved her. She felt empty, like a piece of her heart had shattered and she was left with a gaping hole.

Brandon pulled her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears. "I failed. I failed at protecting her."

"You did not fail, Callie. This was not your fault in any way." Brandon lifted her chin up to look into her broken eyes. His heart was not only broken that Melody was gone, but that he had to watch Callie suffer through this.

An endless stream of tears tumbled down her cheeks. "I'm her _mother,_ Brandon. I should have known something was wrong. She…she was suffering in my belly. The place she is supposed to be safe. I was having cramps all day. I thought they were Braxton hicks, but I should have known. I should have known something was wrong."

"You can't blame yourself, Callie." Brandon frowned. He paused for a moment, searching for the words to tell her what the doctors had told them earlier. "They um…they think it was caused by a fall."

It took Callie a moment to process Brandon's words. A fall. The only time she had fallen when she was pregnant was when Vico pushed her. Nausea tumbled in her stomach. "But…but they checked me after that. They said…they said everything was fine."

"They think the tear in the placenta was small at that time that it went undetected and then it gradually tore more."

She clenched her teeth as she shook her head angrily. "No. No!"

"Callie…" Brandon whispered.

"I can't take them ruining my life anymore! They took everything else from me, why did they have to take my baby?" Her lower lip trembled and she wondered how her body could produce this many tears. More guilt swam in her stomach as she thought back to that day. She had fought Vico, she had talked back to him. She should have just let him do what he wanted to do and wouldn't have pushed her.

Brandon's lips landed on her forehead as he pulled her closer. He didn't know how to comfort her because there was nothing he could say or do that would make this better. "It's not fair. Nothing about this is fair, but they'll pay for everything. I promise. I'll make sure of it if it's the last thing I do."

"There is nothing that would pay for this." Her voice sounded so broken.

The door clicked open. Stef and Lena entered, wearing matching somber expressions. They frowned when they met Callie and Brandon's eyes, both holding so much pain and exhaustion. They had anxiously waited to see the brunette. They all knew she wanted and needed Brandon, and so they let him be there when she woke up and they wanted to provide the young couple privacy while they said goodbye to Melody.

Stef walked towards Callie's bed and placed a hand on her leg. "Oh, my love, I'm so sorry."

The blonde's words caused a new batch of tears to leak from Callie's eyes. She leaned forward, collapsing against the arms that wrapped around her. Stef stroked her back soothingly as Callie cried into her shoulder. Brandon remained in the bed beside Callie, watching as she sobbed in his mother's arms. The helpless Bandon was experiencing was unbearable. It was an awful feeling to watch the person you love the most suffer tremendously. There was nothing he could do to make this better and that killed him.

"I'm so sorry, my sweet girl. We're here for you." Stef held the sobbing brunette tightly. Her own tears trickled down her cheeks. Watching Callie suffering was becoming too often of an occurrence. This, however, was a whole other level of suffering. Stef couldn't even begin to imagine the hurt Callie was experiencing. "I know this isn't easy to think about, but a social worker is going to come to speak to you soon. She's going to talk to you about your memorial options. If you want to do a funeral or cremation or something else."

Callie pulled out of Stef's arms and inhaled sharply. The thought of burying or cremating her daughter made it all too real. It made it permanent. Once that happened, she would never see Melody again, never hold her. She looked at Brandon with panic. "I don't…I don't know what…I can't…"

Brandon sat up straight and place a hand on her back. "Hey, it's okay. Take a deep breath. You don't have to make a decision right this minute. I'm sure the social worker will explain all your options and you can think about it. But whatever you want to do is fine."

Callie shut her eyes. This was all too much. She just wanted one second, one second to forget, to pretend that Melody was still here, healthy.

 _Thanks for reading! I got a review last chapter that wished there had been a trigger warning on the chapter. I apologize if the last chapter was triggering to anyone. I also want to note that when I write about the characters feelings, this is just the emotions they are experiencing. Callie feeling like a failure does not mean that she is a failure, it just her emotions. I do a lot of research when writing, especially for the last couple and few upcoming chapters in order to try and capture the raw emotions._

 _Anyway, thanks again for reading! Callie will return home next chapter._

 _Review!_


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Stef and Lena entered the room with a wheelchair. Stef smiled at the brunette as she pushed the wheelchair towards Callie's bed. "Okay love, you're all ready to go home."

Brandon helped Callie out of the bed and into the wheelchair. He glanced around the room to make sure all of their belongings had already been taken to the car. He took the wheelchair from his mother. "I'll push."

Stef smiled at her son and gave his arm a gentle pat. She knew he was hurting too. "Okay. We already pulled the car up to the front."

Brandon led the way out of the room. Callie's eyes scanned her surroundings as he pushed her down the hall. A boy or girl sign stuck on the wall of multiple doors. The painful screams of women in labor could be heard in the distance along with the sounds of crying babies. Several people wandered around, holding baby balloons. An older woman stood beside a man, flipping through her phone as giggles and awes escaped their mouths, undoubtedly at photos of a new family member. The environment was happy, joyful, celebratory, but all Callie felt was an overwhelming sorrow in every part of her body. She was supposed to be leaving with her baby wearing an ear to ear smile, but instead, she was leaving with a memory box and a painful hole in her heart.

Brandon picked up speed to avoid the cheerfulness of the maternity ward. It all just felt like a slap in the face; like the world was rubbing it in their faces that Melody was gone. He finally pushed through to the exit and towards the car that was parked at the curb. His shoulders slumped when he saw the car parked behind theirs where a couple was bringing their new baby. He mentally cursed himself for not thinking of sending someone out ahead to make sure this didn't happen.

Callie watched as the young couple cooed at the newborn. The new mother sat in the wheelchair, cradling the baby while the new father checked the car seat. They were in pure bliss as they loaded their newest addition into the car. Tears stung her eyelids. That should be her. That should be her fussing over Melody while Brandon got the car ready. She felt Brandon's hand on her shoulder as the wheelchair came to a stop before the car. She couldn't take her eyes off the couple; the couple that she resented.

"Callie." Brandon whispered. He knew she was watching them.

Brandon was suddenly standing before her and she met his eyes. She shook her head. "No, no. I can't do this."

Brandon kneeled before her and placed a hand on knee. "Hey, you can do this, okay? I'm going to help you into the car and we're going to go home, okay?"

Callie looked back at the couple, who now had the baby buckled into its car seat and were getting into the car themselves, still wearing matching grins. They were completely oblivious to the horrors of the world. Callie swallowed thickly and closed her eyes for a moment to stop the tears from escaping her eyes. She inhaled deeply and returned her eyes to Brandon, who was staring at her with concern and sorrow. She nodded and shifted in the wheelchair in an attempt to get up.

Brandon shot to his feet and wrapped an arm around her to help her up. She only had surgery four days ago and the doctors said it would take a few weeks to fully recover. Physically anyway. Emotional recovery was a different story. "Go slow."

Callie grimaced as she planted her feet onto the pavement with the help of Brandon. Stef opened the car door. Callie hated this; hated that she had to rely on people, that she needed to be helped. It made her feel weak.

Brandon buckled her in after slipping in beside her, and a small whimper escaped her lips when the seat belt brushed against her tender breasts. Her milk had come in last night; a painful reminder of what she lost. Her body had betrayed her, reminding her that there should be a baby. The nurse told her releasing the milk would only cause more to be produced and so she had to endure the pain until the milk dried up. Callie sobbed inconsolably as the nurse helped place ice packs in a loose-fitting bra. She had read books about breastfeeding; about the treasured bond mothers had with their babies during this time. But she had no baby, she lost hers, and she would never get the opportunity to experience that bond.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Brandon frowned.

"No, it's just the seatbelt." She whispered, and Brandon understood. He had held her for hours while she cried last night.

Brandon found her hand, intertwining her fingers with his. His heart ached unbearably. From losing Melody and watching Callie suffer again. "We'll be home soon, and you can rest."

Callie nodded. The car ride home was silent with the exception of the radio playing softly. The car rolled to a stop outside the house. Brandon helped her out of the car and supported her as they walked through the front door that Stef held open for them. The sorrow consuming Callie multiplied. She had imagined the Fosters waiting in the living room, greeting her as she entered holding a car seat. She had imagined showing Melody the house. She had imagined bringing her to the nursery to change her diaper, feeding her in the rocking chair. But she wasn't holding a car seat with a baby. She was holding an unrepairable broken heart.

"Callie!" Jude shouted as he thudded down the stairs to greet his sister.

Callie forced a smile at her brother that failed to meet her eyes. It felt impossible to smile in a world that her daughter was taken from. She felt sympathy for her brother though. His mind was too young and innocent to grasp the extent of Callie's pain. "Hey, Jude."

"What would you like for lunch, Callie?" Lena asked.

Callie couldn't look at Lena. It was too painful to see her pregnant belly. "I'm…I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat, love." Stef said as she placed Callie's bag on the floor.

"I'm not hungry." Callie repeated firmly. Even the thought of food made her heart ache. She looked forward to eating when she was pregnant. But she no longer was.

Stef opened her mouth to reply, but Brandon interjected. "Mom, just leave it, please? She'll eat later."

Stef glanced at her son's pleading eyes and nodded her head reluctantly. Brandon knew Callie better than anyone, which meant he knew what she needed. Stef was also aware that Brandon's focus was completely on the young brunette; he would make sure she ate eventually. "Okay, we'll make extra and put it aside."

Brandon silently thanked his mother. He assisted Callie up the stairs and to his bedroom. He took note in the way her eyes lingered on the closed door upstairs. The one that contained a warm, loving environment for the daughter they no longer had. Brandon had demanded that the door remained closed before Callie's arrival and he was thankful his family listened.

He led her towards the bed, helping her onto it. "You should rest."

"I've been resting." She whispered. "I don't…I can't…I need a distraction."

Brandon frowned, gently rubbing her leg. He could imagine that lying around in bed only encouraged the painful and dangerous thoughts to brew, but he also wasn't sure there was a big enough distraction. "We could watch a movie or play a board game or just talk? Whatever you want, Cal."

Callie brought her hands over her eyes as tears suddenly burst through them. "I don't know."

"Hey, it's okay." Brandon soothed, reaching for her hands to uncover her face.

"It's not okay!" Callie cried. "I'm not supposed to be sitting here. I'm supposed to be taking care of a baby or watching her while she sleeps."

"I know." Brandon sighed. He didn't know what to do for her, how to make this better.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Callie apologized. The hormones running through her body paired with the agonizing grief caused her to lash out at Brandon when she didn't want to. He was so patient through all of this. Taking care of her had been his number one priority despite that he was grieving too. It made her feel guilty when she snapped at him. He definitely didn't deserve it, but being the amazing boyfriend that he was, he never faltered. Not once did he become angry with her. Instead, he continued to comfort her.

"You don't have to apologize. You're hurting. And you're right. None of this is okay."

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. Where I'm supposed to go from here." Callie's glistening eyes met Brandon's as silent tears trickled down her cheeks. "She was my future, Brandon. Every plan, every dream I had included her. Finishing high school, going to college, my relationship with you. It all included her. It was all planned around her."

Brandon frowned as he scooted on the bed beside her and wrapped his arm around her. He completely understood the feeling she was describing. They created a plan for Callie to finish high school. One that would allow Callie to take care of Melody and graduate. She and Brandon had discussed different college options that would allow them to stay home or get an apartment together with Melody. They had briefly discussed how they would plan their classes at different times so someone would always be able to watch Melody. By the time they graduated, Melody would be going to school, which would allow them to continue with their careers. They had planned so many things they would do with Melody; taking her to the zoo, visiting Disney, enrolling her in baby music classes. They had gone as far to imagining her at their wedding. And now it was all gone. In one instant, all their plans were destroyed. The future they had built was on a completely different path, one that was bumpy with no end in sight.

"I know. It's not easy right now. It probably won't be for a while, but you'll make new plans. And I'll help you." Brandon brought her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to it.

"I don't want new plans." She whispered, snuggling into him. Her hand rested on his chest, tracing the letters on his shirt.

"I don't either. But we have to. And it sucks, and you don't have to be happy with it right now. But we'll make new plans and Melody will still be in them, just in our hearts." Brandon rubbed gentle circles on Callie's back.

Callie nodded against his chest. "Talk to me. Tell me something I don't know about you."

Brandon pursed his lips as he thought. "I mean you know mostly everything about me. I guess there's a lot from my childhood you don't know."

"Tell me about it." Callie said, taking in his comforting, woodsy scent. She needed a distraction. Listening to Brandon's voice was comforting and she wanted to get lost in his words.

Brandon told Callie about the time he convinced the twins they were adopted from a family of squirrels. The sound of her laugh made him so grateful for being a cunning older brother. He told her about the time he got lost in Disney, the time they got stuck in a downpour at the San Diego Zoo. He told her about the moment he found out his parents were spitting up, the first time he performed, the time they had a whipped cream fight in the kitchen. For hours Callie listened to little stories about Brandon's childhood. About little moments that shaped him. She did indeed get lost in his stories, grateful that he grew up in a safe, loving, supportive home. For a short time, even if it was just temporary, everything felt okay.

* * *

Callie slowly strolled down the dark, quiet hall. Her hand reached out for the doorknob, hesitating before turning it. The door swung open. She reached for the light switch, revealing the bright cheerful room. Tears shone in her eyes as they scanned the room.

A sob ripped through her throat. Everything in the room would go unused. Melody would never sleep in her crib, never have her diaper changed on the changing table, never wear the clothes carefully tucked into the drawers of the dresser, never listen to the mobile hanging above the crib, never be rocked in the rocking chair. All of the planning, all of the effort, all of the love they had put into creating a warm, perfect room for her was for nothing.

Her heart ached unbearably. Her knees buckled before she crashed to the floor. Darkness; complete and utter darkness. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. This would never be okay. The pain would never go away. She wanted it to end and yet she couldn't help but wonder what was next; how the world was going to top its latest cruel trick on her. At one time she had thought her mother dying was going to be the worst thing to happen to her. In a way, maybe it was because it was the start to the seemingly never-ending chain of catastrophic events. But somehow things only got worse when she and Jude were thrown into foster care. Each house they were in she thought the next couldn't be worse and yet that very thing happened. Every house was worse than the last. And then they came to the Fosters; the one place she thought she could find her happiness, the one place she thought she was safe. She was in a way. She was happy living with the Fosters, happy being with Brandon, and she was safe living in that home. Foolishly she thought the misery was over, but then Liam and Vico destroyed her. Every wound she had healed had been ripped open by them. She thought that was rock bottom. How could it get any worse? Finding out she was pregnant with one of her rapists' baby had seemed like the end of the world at the time, but she found the strength to turn that around. The baby seemed to be the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Then Vico returned, once again destroying any progress she had made in overcoming her trauma. Once again, she was foolish to think that things couldn't get any worse and the world punished her for it. It laughed in her face by taking away her baby; killing the little girl she had grown in her body, loved more than anything. The world had blown out the light at the end of the tunnel; the tunnel she was pretty sure would forever be pitch black now.

"Callie?" She heard Brandon's voice from the hall before his footsteps grew closer. He had woken up when he felt her disentangle from his arms. He figured she was going to the bathroom, but when she didn't return he got up to check on her. A sigh escaped his lips. "Cal…"

He was suddenly standing before her and she lifted her head to meet his groggy eyes through her burred ones. "I can't do this."

Her voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper. The defeat in her voice made Brandon's heart twist painfully. The world had finally done it. It had finally taken the fight out of the strongest girl. He closed the door to avoid waking anyone else before he sat down on the floor and scooted beside her. He held his arms open and she collapsed against his embrace, burying her head in his chest. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as her tears soaked his shirt. "You can. I promise you it won't always hurt this much."

"What am I doing wrong? Why do all these awful things keep happening to me?" She choked out into his shirt.

"I don't know, but it has nothing to do with you. You are doing nothing wrong." He pressed a ginger kiss to the top of her head.

"I wanted nothing more for those tests to be negative that day and I feel like this is the world's way of punishing me." She thought back to that very day in the bathroom of the supermarket. The torturous three minutes she had waited for the results were spent wishing, hoping, praying to any and every higher power that she was not pregnant. A couple of days prior to that, her period had been late. She didn't think much of it at first; she wasn't always on a regular schedule and it had been expected with the medications, emergency contraception, and the trauma her body had endured. Nausea, breast tenderness, and fatigue were among the other symptoms she had experienced, but that could have easily been chalked up to anxiety, lack of sleep, and injuries. Yet something felt different; something told her to take those tests. Even while she was buying them, she was telling herself she was just being paranoid- she had taken emergency contraception after all. It was supposed to prevent this; take away the fear of it actually happening. But another part of her couldn't help but think about the hours she spent violently puking following the intake of the prevention. And so, while she was waiting for the tests she pleaded to a higher power that the emergency contraceptive had been effective. But the three positive pink signs told her otherwise and she felt as though her life was over. Those feelings were coming back to haunt her. She couldn't help but feel as though losing her baby was a consequence of wishing she wasn't pregnant; of feeling utterly hopeless when she found out she was.

"Callie, no." Brandon frowned as he shook his head. His finger moved beneath her jaw, lifting it gently to look into her tear-filled eyes. "You had every right to feel what you did. You were severely hurt and sixteen."

"I didn't want her, Brandon. She was already growing inside me and I was hoping she hadn't been there." She choked out with disgust; disgust for ever feeling that way.

Brandon blinked back his own tears. She always found a way to blame herself. All of the bad things that happened to her were not her fault and yet she grasped at something to make it her fault. He knew it most likely stemmed from her past; she spent seven years being yelled at, beaten, starved for any move she would make. But the fact that she was blaming herself for this, blaming herself because she hadn't wanted to be pregnant with her rapists' baby hurt. "Callie, anybody in your position would have felt the same way. And how you handled it was incredible. Most people would have gotten an abortion or chosen adoption and there's nothing wrong with either of those. It would have been expected after what you went through, but you somehow managed to love her. I know it feels natural to you, but loving a baby that was the result of a rape is not an easy thing to do."

"I miss her." Her lower lip trembled before her body heaved with sobs once again. She seemed to have an endless supply of tears.

Brandon gently pulled her onto his lap and cradled her in his arms. She shook violently against him from the force of her sobs. He closed his eyes for a moment as he felt hot tears ooze from them and dribble down his cheeks. He was trying to be strong for her, but it was too much. He missed Melody too.

He too was devastated when he learned Callie was pregnant. Devastated for all that had happened to her and now she was going to be reminded of it every single day carrying the baby of a monster. He thought she would get an abortion because he couldn't imagine someone dealing with that reminder every day. When she told him that she was keeping the baby, he was scared. He didn't know what that meant for them. He had always wanted kids and he had always figured it would be a couple of years into a marriage. The time while the two were seeing each other while she was at GU, he had envisioned their future together; dating through high school and college, getting married shortly after graduating from college, adopting a pet, traveling, and then starting a family. But then the same girl he had seen that future with was pregnant with the baby of one of the guys that raped her and she was planning on raising it. He knew he loved her too much to ever even consider leaving her and it would have been awful to leave her with everything she was going through. And when she told him about how Rita tried to convince her to give the baby up for adoption, he felt relieved at her adamant disagreement. Somehow, he had grown to love the baby too. He wasn't quite sure when it happened, but he was pretty sure it was from seeing Callie's own love towards the human growing inside of her. Once he felt the baby kick he became excited about meeting her. It was suddenly so real. And then they started planning; buying baby items, picking out names, choosing nursery themes. He was embracing fatherhood, excited for it. Even if the baby wasn't biologically his, he would be a father to her. And then she was gone without ever taking a breath, without ever opening her eyes to the world. "I know, I miss her too."

Somehow hearing Brandon say those words provided Callie with a slight comfort. Brandon didn't know what it was like to carry a child for nearly nine months; to experience that intimate bond. But he lost her too. He bonded with her in different ways and Callie was certain he loved Melody nearly as much as she did. Hearing him admit her missed her made her feel less alone.

"What can I do? How can I help you?"

"Just don't leave me." She choked out into his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere." Brandon reassured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Ever."

 _Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The sun shone brightly, and a warm, gentle breeze blew. It was almost mocking Callie as she stood before the newly planted tree, the Adams Fosters and Robert surrounding it. It was a beautiful day outside, but inside Callie felt broken as they memorialized her dead child. Jude was reading a poem, but Callie couldn't make out his words as her tear-blurred eyes remained glued to the tree, to the plaque before the tree engraved with her daughter's name. She felt Brandon's eyes on her, but she couldn't meet them. It would undoubtedly end in a meltdown when she saw the shared pain and his concern in them, and she was trying to keep it together in front of everyone.

"Cal?"

Callie whipped her head towards Stef at the sound of her name. By the look on everyone's faces, she knew she had missed something that was said. "Hm?"

"Do you want to say anything?" Stef asked softly.

The lump in the back of Callie's throat grew as she shook her head. "She…she knows."

Stef smiled sadly at the brunette. She threw her arm around Mariana's shoulder, who had silent tears trickling down her cheeks. "Why don't we give Callie and Brandon some time alone."

The family somberly went back inside. Callie's knees buckled the second she heard the back door click closed. She collapsed to the grass, a heart-wrenching sob ripping through her throat. Brandon's arms wrapped around her and she felt his lips press against the top of her head. Planting a tree had seemed like a great way to memorialize Melody at the time when her options were presented to her. It was in a way like she was still breathing, still growing, still living. But as Callie wept before the tree she wondered how she would ever look at the tree and not cry. She had this constant reminder right in her backyard now.

Brandon felt his own tears leak from his eyes as he held his sobbing girlfriend for the umpteenth time in the week since Melody's death. Her body trembled against his as she sobbed uncontrollably. The sounds of her crying felt like a knife twisting in Brandon's heart. It was something that he had heard so many times, too many times especially this past week, and he knew he would surely hear it so many more times to come.

"I'm sorry." She choked out into his shoulder.

Brandon's heart broke and he wondered just how many times someone's heart could break in a single week because surely, he had surpassed that. He gently lifted her chin to gaze into her defeated eyes. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for."

She inhaled shakily in attempt to calm herself. "I'm always crying."

"Callie, you just lost a baby. You're expected to cry. You cry as much as you need, and I'll hold you every time, okay? I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you." The pad of his thumb gently brushed away the tears rolling down her cheeks. His lips left a ginger kiss on her forehead. He would do anything to take away her pain and the fact that he couldn't hurt.

She suddenly felt guilty. Guilty for bringing so much pain into his life. He was happy and carefree before she met him. Now he had so much to deal with and she felt like she was dragging him down with her. "You didn't ask for this. For any of this."

Brandon read the meaning behind her words. "Don't do that, Callie. I love you more than anything and I would do anything for you. You didn't ask for any of this either. I didn't know what true happiness was, what love was before you. If I could go back, I would never even consider changing my feelings for you. Love doesn't only survive in good times. I'm here for you every minute, good or bad."

Callie nodded as more tears trickled down her face. She leaned forward to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too. So, so much. And I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I wish more than anything that I could do something to help you." Brandon said softly. "You take as long as you need to heal, okay? And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Callie nodded again, resting her forehead against his as his hand continued to cup her cheek. "You are helping. More than you know."

"C' mon. Let's get you inside. Sitting in the grass can't be comfortable." Brandon helped her up, noting the slight wince cross her face as she moved. Even though she downplayed it, he knew she was hurting physically. How could she not? She was still recovering from major surgery and her milk drying up only added to that.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Stef asked as her son entered the living room, where his mother sat on the couch nursing a mug.

Brandon shrugged as he took a seat next to the blonde. "She's sleeping, which is good. I just don't know how long that'll last before a nightmare wakes her up."

"I can't even imagine what she's going through." Stef shook her head in disbelief, leaning forward to place her mug on the coffee table. "How are _you_ doing?"

Tears sprang to his eyes. "Not good."

"I'm sorry, B. I know this is hard on you too." Stef rested her hand on his back and rubbed it gently.

"Losing Melody was bad enough and now I have to watch Callie suffer." The tears escaped his eyes and tumbled down his cheeks. "I miss Melody so much. I didn't even know her, and I miss her."

"Oh B." Stef sighed sadly. "You did know her. You felt her kick. You picked out her name. You made so many plans revolving around her."

"And I think about how much I'm hurting about Melody and it must be so much worse for Callie. I'm so worried about her. These awful, awful things keep happening to her and she barely has the chance to process them before the next bad thing happens. Having a baby was kind of a distraction too and now that's gone. And the trial is right around the corner and if that doesn't go her way…"

"It will." Stef gently cut off her son's rant. "They're going to go away for something. All the evidence is there. And Vico only increased that by breaking his bail terms."

"If they don't, I'm going to kill them. You won't be able to stop me." Brandon fumed. He knew how much Callie hated violence, and he had learned after punching Wyatt at her birthday to refrain from expressing his anger with his fist. He'd promised her he wouldn't fight people anymore. But this was different. Vico and Liam were heartless monsters. They hurt the girl he loved in more ways than he could count, and they needed to be punished. They deserved to burn in hell. He imagined punching them, kicking them, strangling them until they were begging for mercy, begging for him to stop and he would ignore them. Just like they ignored Callie's desperate pleas.

Stef exhaled. Normally she would lecture her children on how violence wasn't the answer, but she couldn't. Not in this situation. Not when those two monsters hurt the girl she viewed as a daughter so badly. "You know I don't condone violence, but honestly, B, I'd help you hide the bodies."

"She doesn't deserve this, Mom. She doesn't deserve any of this. And she just keeps grasping at these straws to blame herself for everything." More tears left Brandon's puffy eyes. "I found her in the nursery crying last night. She told me she feels like she's being punished for wishing the pregnancy tests were negative when she took them."

Stef's felt her chest twinge at her son's words. She had no doubt that Callie actually convinced herself to believe that. But the fact that she did was painful. Anyone who was sixteen and had been raped would wish the tests were negative. "I think it's her way of trying to make sense of everything. Of trying to gain control."

Brandon's lower lip trembled before a sob escaped his throat. He'd been trying so hard to hold it together for Callie. There had been a few times he cried while holding her, but it was quiet tears. This was messy, full on crying to the point where his chest heaved, and his breath became ragged. It had been building up. Not just from this week, although many of the tears were due to then. But it had been building up since the winter ball. From watching Callie endure obstacle after obstacle, heartache after heartache. "I just want her to be okay. I want her to be happy and I want all these bad things to stop happening to her."

"Oh, my baby." Stef cried, pulling her son into his arms. Her own heart ached for him, for Callie. She understood the pain he felt. She felt it too watching the girl she considered a daughter suffer from countless painful events. They all felt helpless because there was nothing they could do to make things better, to take away the pain. "I know. I know how hard it is for you to watch her like this. She'll get there. It's going to take a while and it's going to be hard, but she'll find happiness."

Regret and guilt swam in Stef's stomach. Regret and guilt for forbidding Brandon and Callie's relationship the first time, for becoming angry when they confided they had been dating, for almost forcing them apart again, for ever doubting their love for one another. Their feelings for one another had never gone away, she knew that, but she and Lena had chosen to ignore the signs. And watching them since they announced their relationship continued to prove to Stef how much the two were meant to be together. They had experienced obstacles that would have broken up marriages, and yet it only seemed to pull the two closer together, to strengthen their love. And Stef hated that she ever tried to stop it.

"You know, Callie's had to deal with so much from the second she stepped into our home. And most of the time I know she's putting on a brave face for everyone, but the times that I have seen her truly happy, that she's truly smiling, it's because of you." Stef said when Brandon's crying finally began to subside. He pulled out of his mother's arms to look at her. "You make her happy, B. You get her to open up. You make her feel safe and loved. I know it may not feel like it, but you're helping her."

"She said that too, but I wish I could do more."

"I know. I do too." Stef frowned, leaning towards Brandon to press a comforting kiss to the side of his head.

* * *

"Cal, wake up." Brandon shook the brunette gently as she whimpered. Her eyes shot open as she flung herself straight up, clutching her chest. Her breath was ragged as her eyes darted around the room. Brandon's hand found hers and she met his eyes. "Hey, you're okay. It was just a nightmare."

Callie inhaled shakily.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Brandon asked softly. He watched her face scrunch together slightly in distress.

"I uh…Vico…he forced me…and then…h-he cut my stomach open and killed Melody." Tears sparkled in her hollow eyes.

"I'm sorry, Callie." Brandon sighed sadly. He wanted to tell her it wasn't real, that it was a dream. But even though that exact event didn't happen, she was raped, and Melody did die from Vico's actions. Brandon scooted onto the bed beside Callie and held his arms open. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest as his arm wrapped around her. "I can't imagine how awful these nightmares must feel."

"I just…I want to forget and yet I'm reminded of everything everywhere." Her tears splashed onto his chest, soaking into his shirt.

"That's how trauma works, unfortunately. But it won't always be like that. It'll get better."

Callie shook her head. "The winter ball was almost a year ago, Brandon."

"It was nine months, and nobody said a year was enough time. And that's not the only trauma I'm talking about. You haven't had the chance to heal from any of the trauma that you've been through." Brandon's hand found her hair, his fingers dancing gently in her soft curls. "There's no expiration date on trauma. It's going to take as long as it's going to take."

"I hate it when you're right." Callie groaned.

A small chuckle left Brandon's lips and he felt his heart flutter at her slight attempt at humor. He reached down to steal a kiss. "We need to plan a trip."

"That sounds nice, but I don't really know when or where. The trial is a month away, I'm still on probation, we don't have money, and I'm limited in abilities right now. I don't really know if Stef and Lena would let us go away either."

"Way to shoot down my idea." Brandon teased, earning the slightest of smiles from Callie. It was a smile he hadn't seen in a week and it was welcoming, even if it was only a hint of one. "I have money saved actually. We'll plan something for after the trial. You'll hopefully be fully recovered by then. We'll go for a weekend or something. I'm pretty sure I can convince Moms. I think they would say yes to anything you asked right now."

Callie reached up to connect their lips. It was amazing how much Brandon knew what she needed. "Thank you. I need something to look forward to."

Brandon smiled. "I'm on it."

 _Thanks for reading! Review!_


	32. Chapter 32

*This chapter mentions suicide*

Chapter 32

Callie gripped the pill bottle beneath her fingers. Her eyes gaped at the label on the prescription. She was supposed to take one, two if the pain was severe, but there was a voice in her head daring her to consume all of the remaining pills. Round white pills spilled into her palm, emptying the bottle. She gawked at the pills, examining the tiny letters engraved in its surface. They seemed so inviting. One swallow and all the pain would be gone.

"What are you doing?"

Callie gasped and sent the pills scattering across the kitchen floor as she nearly jumped out of her skin. Brandon stood a few feet away, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Callie opened her mouth, but no words came out. She knew by the look in his eyes that he understood her dangerous intentions. There were no lies or excuses that he wouldn't see through.

"Callie." Her name trembled on his tongue as he slowly approached her. Time seemed to slow. The sound of his heart pounding echoed in his ears. He knew she was suffering, he knew she was suffering an immeasurable amount of pain, but nothing could prepare him for walking in on her holding a handful of strong painkillers. There was no doubt in his mind that she had been contemplating swallowing all of them and his knees nearly buckled as he thought about what may have happened if he didn't walk in here.

"I…I…" She stuttered, unable to meet his eyes.

"What were you thinking?" He hissed more harshly then he intended. "Did you even stop to think about what this would do to everyone? To Jude? To _me?_ "

Tears sprang to her eyes. Her lower lip trembled. A sob pierced the kitchen. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I…I didn't want to kill myself."

"Taking a bottle full of pills would have ended that way!" Brandon shouted, causing Callie to flinch.

She shut her eyes as silent tears continued to tumble down her cheeks. "I just wanted it all to stop. I wanted the pain to go away."

Brandon's features softened. He took another step forward and pulled her into his arms. "I know. But Jesus, Callie, killing yourself is not the answer. Have you been having these thoughts? About killing yourself?"

"No. I mean there's been times where it seems like the easy thing to do, but I've never…I was just…having a bad day and I went to take my normal dose and it seemed like…I just can't do this anymore." She gripped onto Brandon as if he were her lifeline. In a way he was. If he hadn't walked in she may be lying on the floor while the drugs overtook her body.

Brandon lifted her head off his shoulder and cupped her face with his hands. "I know it hurts. I know it hurts so much and this is never going to be okay. But you can't give up. Not when you've fought this far. I don't know if I believe in heaven and hell, but I do believe our loved ones watch over us. Melody doesn't want to see her mommy giving up."

"I'm so tired of fighting." She whispered.

"I know, but you have to keep fighting. I almost lost you twice, Callie. Do you know how awful that was for me? I can't live without you, okay? So, fight for me because I need you. I need you here with me. It might be selfish, but I don't care. I love you so much and if you're gone, my life is over." Brandon's eyes welled with unshed tears as he gazed into Callie's sad eyes. He didn't bother to hold them back. He needed her to see how much this would hurt him. The thought of her not being here was suffocating. "You need to get help. You need to go back to therapy. You shouldn't have pushed it off to begin with."

"I know. I don't want to hurt you. That's the last thing I want to do. You caught me in a moment of weakness."

"And what if I hadn't caught you? We wouldn't even be having this conversation because you'd be getting your stomach pumped while I paced the waiting room again!" Brandon shouted again, causing Callie to take a step back. "And what happens when you have another moment of weakness? What happens if I'm not there to stop you from doing something stupid? Damn it, Callie, it's not just a moment of weakness!"

Callie blinked back the new batch of tears that sparkled in her eyes. He rarely raised his voice at her and she knew this passionate emotion was because he cared so much about her. She inhaled shakily, wiping at the fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. "Okay, okay. I'll go back to therapy. But I don't see how it's going to help. It's not going to make any of this okay. It's not going to take back what Liam and Vico did. It's not going to bring back Melody."

"No, it's not. And nobody is expecting you to just get over any of this. But she can help you deal with all these emotions you have. All these unhealthy thoughts that you have. But you have to actually talk because you like to keep it bottled in and that's when these unhealthy thoughts form. That's when you think about taking a handful of pills."

"I talk to you." She muttered, chewing on her bottom lip.

"And I'm so glad that you do, but it's not enough. I know there's so much your feeling and thinking that you aren't telling me. You haven't even told me exactly what happened the night of the winter ball." Brandon watched the brunette tense at the mention of that night. "And I'm not a trained professional. You've had so much trauma in your life and you haven't had the time to heal from any of it."

Callie nodded, failing to meet Brandon's eyes. She knelt down to gather the spilled pills from the floor. "Okay, I'll go."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment. Just once, he just wanted her to take care of herself. He wished she could see herself the way he saw her. He squatted before her and placed his hand over hers to halt her clean up. "Callie, look at me."

Tear glimmering eyes met Brandon's concerned ones.

"Don't shut me out. I'm asking you to do this because I love you." Brandon said. "When I walked in and saw you with all those pills my heart stopped."

Callie gently fell back onto her behind and leaned her back against the kitchen cabinets behind her. "That's how I felt when the nurse said there was no heartbeat."

Brandon scooted so he was sitting beside Callie. He reached into her lap to take her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. "I think it would be good if you went to group therapy too. One with other mothers who have lost babies. People who know what you're going through."

"You know what I'm going through."

"I don't, not completely. Yes, I lost Melody too and I miss her and I'm hurting. But I'll never fully understand what you're going through. Not on the same level. You carried her, you felt her inside of you. I bonded with her, but not in the same way you did." He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb.

"A group like that is going to be full of women who are married, who planned to have a baby. They're going to judge me for being seventeen. They'll…they'll probably think I didn't really want her because of…what happened." Her voice cracked as silent tears tumbled down her cheeks.

"Callie." Brandon sighed. "Nobody is going to judge you, and nobody is going to think that. You don't know that everyone there is going to be married or had planned to get pregnant. And you go and tell your story. Everyone's is different, but in the end, you all share the pain for losing a baby. I think it would be good to see you're not alone."

Callie leaned her head back and let out a shaky breath. It would be beneficial to hear other women's stories; to know that they felt the same pain for carrying a child for so long only to lose them. "Okay."

Brandon let out a slight sigh of relief. He figured she would have put up a fight, that it would have taken more convincing for her to agree to the suggestion. But he could also see that she was desperate. Desperate to ease the pain. "Thank you."

"Can we not tell Stef and Lena about this?" Callie asked.

Brandon hesitated. He knew she was referring to the pill incident. "Only if you promise to never do something like that again. That if you have thoughts like that you come to me immediately."

Callie watched Brandon disentangle his hand from hers and hold up his pinky finger. She met his eyes as she locked her finger with his. "I promise."

He leaned forward to plant a soft kiss to her lips. "Was there something that triggered this?"

"No." Callie whispered, twisting the bracelet encircling her wrist. "I just saw the pills and I don't know. I'm just…having trouble finding my purpose in the world. For seven years it was to protect Jude and now he's safe. And then it was to be a mom. Having a baby at seventeen with Liam or Vico's baby is not ideal and certainly not what I planned, but it gave me a purpose, you know? I had this life relying on me. This little baby who I was literally breathing for and she was…she was supposed to be here for the rest of my life. And now she's gone, and I have no purpose."

Brandon's hand found hers again. "Cal, you have so much purpose in this world. You help and inspire so many people. Especially me. And Jude still needs you. So, do moms and Mariana and Jesus. And me. I need you. Mom told you that you weren't worthless when you first came here, remember?"

"I'm having a hard time believing that." Callie admitted softly. "And I know you're going to tell me otherwise and I know that _you_ believe it, but I'm struggling with it. I've heard it so many times it's hard not to believe. Nobody's cared about my wants or needs or safety. I haven't accomplished anything."

"I get it. I don't think it's possible to be completely resilient to everything you've been through. And you've been pretty close to doing so. You've been badly hurt by so many people and you haven't been able to catch a break, but it's not you. They're the ones who should feel bad about themselves. They're wrong." Brandon was furious at every person who had ever hurt Callie. "And accomplishments? You're seventeen you're not supposed to have conquered the world."

"You've performed symphonies, you won a contest at the best music school, you have a huge chance at being accepted to Julliard, you've started an awesome band. Mariana's won STEAM contests, Jesus had been invited to a prestigious wrestling school, even Jude was offered opportunities with his gaming. And what have I done? I've gone to juvie…twice, I ran away from the only people who cared about me, I got pregnant. You all have dreams and aspirations and I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life."

"First of all, juvie and getting pregnant was not your fault. And you have to remember that we come from very different backgrounds. I was raised by three parents who loved and supported me. I had a safe home with people who helped me pursue whatever I wanted to do. You didn't have that. You were surviving in toxic environment after toxic environment. You were raising and protecting Jude and _that_ is an accomplishment." Brandon said. "Again, you're seventeen. You don't have to have everything figured out. You don't have to know what you want to do yet. Music is my passion and it'd be a dream to go to Julliard, but I don't really know what I would want to do with music."

"Yeah but you have an idea at least. You'll probably be accepted to so many different schools with scholarships." Callie closed her eyes for a moment as tears pricked her lids. "Melody was supposed to be my great accomplishment. I was going to raise her as a strong, independent girl."

Brandon frowned. "You have to give yourself a break, Cal. You've had so many other things to think about and worries that you haven't had the chance to even create dreams and aspirations. We're going to find your dreams together, okay?"

Callie took a deep breath as she nodded. "I guess the one thing I'm sure I want to do with my life is to spend it with you."

"I want the same thing." A smile found Brandon's lips as he leaned in to plant a soft kiss to Callie's lips. "Which is why you can't go and do something stupid like swallowing a bunch of pills."

"I won't. I promise. I'm glad you walked in here before I had the chance because I really do want a future with you." Callie said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. This time it was her hand who found Brandon's and intertwined their fingers. "It's the only thing that's helping me get through this. And I just want to be over it already. I know time heals, but time feels like it's at a standstill."

"We're going to speed it up by you going to therapy and group therapy, finding your dreams and passions, and making plans for the future, short and long term." Brandon turned his head to press a kiss to her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. "We're going to get through this. You and me together."

 _Thanks for reading! Another heavy subject, but I think it's important to talk about these things. If you ever feel suicidal, please seek help. You're not alone and you can get better. Anyway, a new family member arrives next chapter!_

 _Review!_


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